The midland journal., 1945-03-23
News "a,
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THENE|E|&|I!i||S||lEI51 E|E||I!i||lI5 ST.
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Released by Western Newspaper Union.
EDUCATION SHOULD
ORGANIZE STRONGLY
By PAUL MALLoN u

Released by Western Newspaper Union.
EDUCATION SHOULD
ORGANIZE STRONGLY
WASHINGTON. - Biggest indus
try, by far, in the United States is
education.
In plant, this nation has invested
$14, 1928, ,489, 1886 (1940 figure from the
United States office of education)
compared with a paltry 2,750, ,000,-
900 in plant of the No. CONNER
cial industry, motor vehicles, bodies
and parts.
We have put FIVE times more
money into the value Of educa-
tion production buildings, from
kindergarten through college,
than In our vast and fabulous
motors production, yet front
page readers rarely notice this
leading industry, and people gen.
orally pay little attention to it,
although they own the stock
in it.
Annual operating cost Of educa-
ton is $3,203, SAT $3.50 (same source,
covering 1941-42) which is more than
half the total of wages paid in every
other industrial area in 1899. Yet
practically every day you notice
strikes and arguments about indus
trial wages.
For those we have labor boards,
Little Steel formulas and great poll
tical agitation and interest. In the
nations largest industry, into which
the public actually annually pays
$2,671 ,653, POP, there Is no compare
BILE interest-and no comparable re-
suits.
Not Run by Business Men.
There are other significant distinc-
tions. The nations largest industry
| is not run by business men.
County and city officials operate
the bulk of it (their taxpayers fur
nishing 81, 1926, ,937 ,572 for the public
schools) while the states furnished
$979, ,539, ,773; the federal government
$83, ,338, ,030 and privately controlled
schools spent 1851 ,998,864 Gall 1941-
AZ figures).
The federal government, fur
thermore, acts vigorously to
control imitation and deflati0n in
all industries, excepting only this
one, the biggest. A great watch
Is kept on the security, salaries
and management of all busi-
nesses, except this one.
The school text book concessions
must constitute a tremendous busi-
ness, but no commissions nationally
watch it.
Postwar planning for industry is a
primary occupation now, but this
one is neglected excepting that more
federal funds for building more
schools are to be provided. The in
dustry is practically unrepresented
in Washington except for few lob
bying organizations seeking appro-
priations, and these are not man.
aged by business men-indeed they
could not furnish me with the fig.
ures above quoted.
/ think it is clearly suggested by
the outer evidence that this indus
try is the least well managed as
well as the least attended to.
Wants Government Control.
It is time the stockholders in this
business started paying more atten-
ton to their investment. It is time
also that national leaders, citizens
and even government started recog-
nizing the vaStness of the indus.
try, it's financial influence, it's eco.
nomic effects, as well as the eff.
cheney of it's production, rather than
leaving all this authority and con-
troll spread around loosely and not
only uncontrolled but unadvised in
various uncoordinated hands.
II is time also that the
workers in that industry, the
teachers, realize that they are
in the largest industry and
more aggressively protect their
economic rights and defend their
leading political and economic
position.
I certainly do not mean by this
that they should join union, and
particularly not union nationally
or internationally controlled by
workers in lesser industries or their
leaders, and pay tribute with high
initiation fees and dues for the privi-
lege of such leadership, which
might be far from the best with
which they could provide them
selves.
So think the teachers should seek
the wisest possible direction, poll
tically and economically, a demo-
cratic leadership based on superb
ority of ability, rather than placing
their cause upon the ground of sheer
numbers as unions so often do.
They are not masses, but individual
personalities, capable Of finding a
joint expression in a way they will
enjoy more and which should bet
ter serve their particular interests.
The straw polls are galluping
(CQ) over the country, heralding
or drumming up what is called IAN