The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1943-10-22
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FEDERAL SUBSIDY FOR
EDUCATION

EDUCATION
q The $3OO,OO0,OOO proposed Fed
eral subsidy for education is being
vigorously opposed by organized tax
payers of Maryland, Harry s. Mid
dendorf, state taxpayer leader, who
has completed a canvass of taxpayer
and civic leaders throughout the
state, issued the following statement
outlining some of the taxpayers OBJ
jections to Bill S. 637 now before the |
Senate:
This Bill is an opening wedge to
pry control of our schools from the
states and local communities where
parents can supervise the kind of |
educational training they want their
children to receive, and place the
control in the hands of another Fed
eral Bureau. This not only would be
a further invasion of States Rights,
but Parents Rights as we'll.
The Bill is not primarily a subsidy |
to education at all, but is actually |
a labor subsidy since from 80 to 800 |
of the $30O,000,000 would most
probably go for teachers salaries.
Taxpayers of Maryland are not con-
tent to measure the quality of edu-
cation by the amount of teachers
salaries alone.
Under the Bill local economy in
school administration is penalized. |
No state would receive any subsidy |
if it reduced either it's total or per
pupil expenditures below that of !
1912.
while this subsidy Bill states
that no Federal official may exercise
any control over any local schools,
it does not require education pro-
gress reports to be made to Washing
ton, which is the first logical step in
control. But the Bill does actually
start control of local school boards
since it specifically directs that the
first $200,0O0,0O0 be paid to school
teachers. This, regardless of wheth-
er the state or local boards have al
eady increased schoolteachers' salar-
les. There is no guarantee that when
Federal subsidy becomes a part of
local school financing, subsequent
Federal legislation will not gradual
ly insinuate Federal control of our
schools. Even without specific Fed
eral legislation to control education,
that danger already exists In an A.
| A. A. case the Supreme Court said,
sit is hardly lack of due process of
law for the government to control
what it subsidies
every state in the Union would
receive a Federal grant under the
BILL Even such rich states as New
York, California, and Massachusetts,
would receive collectively over $32,-
100000. Maryland would receive
l$3,O18,OOO. But Maryland would
contribute $5,159,000 to the $780,
100000 cost, based on Maryland's
proportionate contribution to FEEDER
Maryland taxpayers 100000 to
collect 100000. Thirty-one states
would receive financial be fl t s
greater than their share of the costs.
In these so-called poor states a re-
cently published tabulation shows
that from 1941 to 1912 income pay
ments increased more than in the
rich states. There can be no finan-
cial emergency justifying Federal
aid to teh states for education be-
case state tax collections, exclusive
of unemployment compensation tax,
increased from billion dollars in
1889 to 3.9 billion, or 80 percent,
in 1913"
Concluding his statement Mr.. Mid
dendorf said This is clearly waste
of Federal money at time when ev-
cry dollar should be devoted to win
ming the war The increase in school
teachers pay contemplated in this
Bill cannot bring back to the schools
those teachers who have gone into
the armed services, and it is hardly
likely that those who have left
the schools for war wages will be
drawn back Our national debt is
rapidly climbing to point where it
will be equal to or may exceed our
national wealth and the war is far
from won as yet. The solvency of our
nation is more important than high
pay for schoolteachers at this time.
But most important, all citizens,
whether schoolteachers or no t
should band together to keep the ed
ucation of our children within the
control Of parents and TO preserve
states rights and put stop to local
government by Federal Bureaus. The
18th, 76th and 77th Congress each
failed to pass similar Bills, and this
Congress, believe. will reject the