Evening star., 1937-02-08
Decision Announced After
MaryIander Confers With
Mrs. Norton.
TEXT OF AMENDMENT
REVEALED AFTER TALK
National and D. c. Education
Groups Had Joined in Appeal
for No Halfway Measure.
BY JAMES E. CHINN.

Representative Kennedy, Democrat,
of Maryland, today suddenly aban-
doned his plan to seek House modiflca-
ton of his bill for outright repeal
Of the "red rider"
Kennedy made the announcement
after q conference with Chairman
Norton Of the House District Com
mittee a few hours before the "red
rider" repeal measure was scheduled
to be called up in the House.
Kennedy pointed out he could not
carly out his pan to have the bill
amended without violating tie con-
fdence of the District Committee
which had voted for his original bill
II feel If I went through with a
plan to amend the bill I would be
violating the confidence of the Dis
trict Committee" Kennedy declared.
II have no right to do that"
Reveals Text Of Amendment.
At the same time Kennedy made
public the complete text of the amend
ment he proposed earlier to offer as
substitute for his outright repeal
bill.
1t reads:
Provided. that hereafter no part Of
any appropriation for the public
schools shall be available for the
payment Of the salary Of any person
advocating communism or other un-
American doctrines or treating any
such doctrines with favor or support;
but no official or teacher shall be
required to make any special declara-
ton Of non-violation hereof as q
condition for payment Of salary"
Over the week end Kennedy had
been bombarded with appeals from
various organizations that had sup
ported his original bill to abandon
the compromise plan. He did not
reach final decision, however, until
his conference at II am. today with
Mrs. Norton.
As q result of Kennedy's last
minute decision, the House is ex-
pected to settle the red rider" issue
on its merits.
Special Meeting Yesterday.
Organizations which sent protests
to Kennedy included the National
Education Association and the Dis
trict Education Association, whose
officers held special meeting yester-
day to consider the proposed amend
ment. The protest message read:
Regret report you plan to amend
your bill repeating red rider. The
National Education Association hopes
that you still stand by your original
bill, already approved by the Senate,
which will wipe completely of the
statute books this un-American legis-
lation."
The message of the District Edu-
cation Association appealed to Ken
nedy to stand firm for no compro-
mise which would complicate rather
than alleviate the situation"
"The Education Association of the
District of Columbia, comprising 80
per cent of the teachers in divisions
to 9, all patriotic American cltl-
zens, pledging. as always, their un-
swerving allegiance to the flag Of the
United States of America" the mes
Sage declared, respectfully request
that you offer no amendment to your
red rider repeal bill.
Congressional hearings last year
proved beyond doubt that no teacher
in the District Of Columbia had been
guilty of teaching or advocating COM
munism. Only by outright repeal, and
not by compromise, can the Congress
of the United States right its past
action toward the teachers of this
city-an action the vicious results
of which are affecting the teaching
profession of the entire country"