Evening star., 1943-04-14
Taft Opposes Drive
To GET u. ). Fund for
High School Corps
Clashes With Studebuker
At Senate Hearing on
Pre-Induction Truinino

Senator Taft, Repupncan, OF ONO
clashed sharply today with J. w.
Studebaker, United States Commis-
sioner Of Education, over the wisdom
of granting Federal funds for the
High School Victory Corps
Il have no sympathy with the ef-
forts of State schools to come in here
and try to get Federal money for the
primary and secondary education of
YOUTH" Senator Taft said, interrupt
ing Mr.. Studebaker's testimony be-
fore the Senate Education and Labor
| Committee on measure providing
for medical examination of high
school youngsters, pre-induction
training for prospective soldiers and
preparatory instruction for future
workers in war industries and on
| farms.
II thing this job would be done
better If it were done on volun-
| tary basis, instead of having the
schools subject to lot of orders
from Washington
Studebaker Replies Heatedly.
Mr.. Studebaker replied, with some
evidence of heat, that some very
serious conditions have developed in
the schools which can't be corrected
by wishful thinking in Washington u
The educator added that the bill,
as revised by his Office at the request
of Chairman Thomas, Democrat, of
Utah, provided only "a bagatelle, a
stimulant, wartime hypodermic for
something you ought to look into"
The revised bill authorizes the ap-
preparation of $912,5l3 for the re-
mainder of the present fiscal year,
and s8,484,377 annually thereafter.
Originally the measure sought a
SO, 1872 900 fund for the rest of the
current fiscal year and $11 ,75O, 900 a
year thereafter. The plan would
furnish Federal aid to the States
for instruction in physical fitness
pref1ight aeronautics, mathematics
physics and chemistry.
Plan Called Fair"
Senator Hayden, Democrat. OF
Arizona, author of the bill, said he
believed it "a fair proposition" be-
cause it is intended to make certain
that high school boys and girls be-
come ready to assume their part in
the war effort.
The Victory Corps program first
was announced last September, and
all high schools in the Nation were
invited to participate. The empha-
sis has been principally on academic
fundamentals. The Army takes the
position that military drill should be
soft pedaled in the schools since it
has been found that the young SOL
dier can pick that up better at camp.
Nevertheless. the program calls
for considerable physical training
designed to tougher the youngsters
Some members of the Appropria-
tions Committee, which first con-
sidered the project, said they were
amazed to learn from Selective
Service that only one-fourth of the
18 and 10 year olds examined for
the draft could pass the physical
examination.
18s and 19s Called soft"
"These lbs and los represent the
best we have from the standpoint
of health, but they are soft and
fabby," Col Leonard G. Roundtree,
Selective Service medical director,
concluded.
The program has been indorsed
by the Federal Security Administra-
ton and the Office of Education and
recommended by the Budget Bureau.
Representatives Of the Army, Navy,
Agriculture Department and Of1ice
Of Education will be heard by the
committee.