Evening star., 1936-04-17
HOUSE WILL HOLD.
CAUCUSMONDAY IN
RED RIDER FIGHT.
Kennedy Rallies Liberals to
Check Threat OF
FiIibuster.
FEARS MEASURES DEATH
IF DELAY is Permitted
Mrs. Norton Sends Copies to All
Members-"Plain Talk" to
Be One Argument.

Representative Kennedy, Democrat.
Of Maryland completed arrangements
today for a caucus Monday OF House
liberals who oppose the red rider
to the 1886 District appropriation act
the teaching or advocacy
of communism in the public schools.
Plans will be worked out to prevent
Blanton, Democrat, OF
Texas and other opponents OF the
Sisson bill providing for outright re-
peal Of the "red rider" from delaying
action on the measure by fllibuster
or strategic parliamentary tactics.
Kennedy Is chairman Of the Sub
committee on Education Of the Dis
trict Committee, which conducted
public hearings on the Sisson bill.
The measure, now on the House CAL
endar, is scheduled to be considered
April 81, the next so-called Dis
trict day." Kennedy is fearful that
unless some steps are taken IN ad-
vance to block Blanton and the other
action on the bill might
be delayed until adjournment of Con-
gress and it would automatically die.
Liberals Invited.
All the House members who have
shown an interest in the Sisson bill,
as well as those who have indicated
a belief in academic freedom are to
be invited to Kennedy's conference.
These include SiSson, Of course, and
Representatives Maverick of Texas,
Scott of California. all Democrats;
Marcantonio, Republican Of New
York and Boileau. Progressive, Of Wis
consin. In addition, the entire Edu-
cation Subcommittee will be asked to
participate. The members, aside from
Chairman Kennedy, are: Representa-
tives Schultz and Jenckes, Indiana
Democrats, and Short of Missouri and
Brewster of Maine, both Republicans.
Kennedy is aware that the battle
over the Sisson bill on the House floor
is to be vigorous and bitter and he is
determined to have just as much
ammunition to fire as the opponents
when the fight starts. That's one
reason he arranged the caucus. The
primary purpose, however, was to
formulate a procedure designed to
Offset any parliamentary moves de-
signed to delay action on the bill.
In the meantime, copies of the
hearings on the Sisson bill will be
distributed to every House member by
Chairman Norton of the District Com
mittee. She wants the issue clearly
understood and will urge the mem
bers to read the hearings from cover
to cover.
plain Talk" To Be Cited.
One Of the arguments to be used
to support the Sisson bill is Federal
Commissioner Of Education Stude-
bakers new book, plain Talk" which
makes q slashing attack on all at
temptS to restrict freedom Of learn
ing in American schools and among
adults in general.
Freedom of speech, of press. of
assembly and Of teaching, go hand in
hand" said DR.. Studebaker. These
freedoms are not primarily for the
protection Of the individual rights
OF speakers, or publishers, or Or
ganizers Of meetings, or of teachers.
They are fundamental to democracy
because they protect the masses of
the people in their essential right to
hear, to read, to assemble and discuss,
and to learn. Once any one of these
freedoms is successfully suppressed,
we are in danger Of losing all of them.
'Let those who want to establish an
paternalism to protect the
people from what Is considered dan
gerous doctrine, advocate such control,
not in the name of democracy, but
as part and parcel Of a Fascist pro-
gram. Those devoted to democracy
will resist such paternalism and in
tellectual straight -jacketing."
Action on Paper Delayed.
Meanwhile, the Board of Education
probably will not act on the recon-
mendation to remove Scholastic from
the list of approved periodicals in the
schools until after the Sisson bill Is
taken up.
Routine procedure would require a
delay Of two weeks after presentation
of the recommendation. That would
mean that If the report of the COM
mittee investigating publications Is
presented next Wednesday action
would 60 over until the next meeting
on May 6.
The committee has objected to
Scholastic on the ground its editorial
policy is "too definite" Charges that
1t is "communistic" and "subversive"
were not sustained. Maurice r. Robin
son Of Pittsburgh, its editor, has asked
for chance to defend the paper pe.
fore the board.