Evening star., 1947-10-20
|vFW Won't Testify
On Textbook With
|20-Minute Limit

jected a Board of Education invita-
ton to discuss for 20 minutes No
vember a public school textbook
declared by VFW committee to be
"irreligious, un-American and pro-
Communist"
Asserting that so short time for
such conference was mot only in
adequate but absurd" Department
Comdr Albert NJ Armstrong wrote
to the board that the VF'W intends
to take this case to a higher tri-
bunal which will grant full and
adequate hearing on the merits of
this ISSUE"
Mr.. Armstrong said later his or
ganization may bring the matter
before Congress or into court in an
effort to have the textbook, Build
ing Citizenship" discontinued in the
District school system.
Attacked by Board Member
VFW District Department officials
recently asked the Board of Educa-
tion for two-hour conference on
the book which the VFW committee
has been examining since last July.
At that time Adelbert w. Lee, a
board member, attacked the text
book as "subversive" because of
what's he said were unduly favorable
comments on Russia and the Com
munist system. The board. as we'll
as Supt. Of Schools Hobart M. Corn
ing defended use Of the book by
pupils of 13 or IA years Of age.
Mr.. Armstrong; letter rejecting
the boards invitation to q Commute
conference. also contained the VFW
committees detailed report on the
book, written by r. o. Hughes.
Charles S. Sullivan, jr., legal officer
for the VFW District Department,
headed the committee.
The committee found many con-
structive passages" in the book but
declared they were 'negated" by
many 'pro-Communist statements.
Sentences Ite,nized.
Itemizing more than dozen sem
tences or passages, the report con-
tanned such comments as:
There are no statements in the I
book from immigrants praising our
country. One of the questions
asked is Just how much authority
and control should the father have
in the family = " A question about
the number of schools that could
be built for the cost of one battle
ship is calculated to prejudice
pupils against national defense -
Stains picture appears and I'M
derneath is written, Stain, Rus
sia's leader and hero No picture
of any other leader of a country
allied with our Government in
World War II appears in the book.
A sentence stating that some
times we wish we could get along
without political parties is posi- |
lively subversive since it is con-
trary to the American way of life
and the freedom of the ballot"
The report described as def
nitely communistic doctrine" the
following textbook statement: "We
have had pointed out to us that
the holding of private property is
one of the fundamental rights
guaranteed by our Government but
is the private ownership of prop
erty and the private management
of business a good thing?" The re-
port added that this advocates
the overthrow Of the Government"
Praise Of Russia Found.
ut is obvious throughout this
book" the report concludes. that
Russia is continuously referred to
in a favorable light, although no
other foreign country is accorded
that distinction. IS" We fail to
understand why so much emphasis
is laid on Russia and why a child
of IA years of age is asked if he
would like to live under a Com
munist form OF government. bear
ing in mind that this last question
is not answered in the text but is
to be discussed in the classroom"
The report also takes exception
to a textbook suggestion that IF
some intelligent person in your
community has visited Russia in the
last few years, engage him to give
a talk before the class"
This suggestion" the report COM
mented, undoubtedly encouraged
the delivery of a pro-Communist
address at Western High School
recently because of which four
patriotic American students pro-
tested against this form of attack
on our American system OF Govern
ment."