Evening star., 1948-01-25

John w. Studebaker, United s
been conducting vigorous cam
paign to stimulate better education
for democracy in our public schools.
Until recently, the United States
Ofice Of Education has refrained,
however, from any concerted plan
or propaganda action in this re-
spect. Taking advantage OF the
intense interest in the problems OF
democracy and its survival, now
manifesting itself in our schools
and colleges, DR.. ,Studebaker boldly
announces that his Office will enter
into the propaganda picture.
We are now about to witness
that a Federal office will issue an
official statement to all our schools
of the essential principles of de-
mocracy. We thought that was
well taken care of In our magnlfi-
cent Bill of Rights. Is there any
reason tc hope that Federal Office
H. p.csern day confused Washing
ton can tell our American youth
better than the Bill of Rights what
true democracy really is?
DR.. Studebaker Overzealous
DR.. Studebaker goes on to an
nounce that the United States Office
Of Education is ready to suggest
certain criteria" by which our edu-
Gators may Judge the effectiveness
of our schools in the teaching and
practice of democracy. In his zeal
for democracy DR.. Studebaker be-
comes overzealous to such a degree
that he wants the Federal Office to
lay down the rules for judging how
democratic our schools are.
That DR.. Studebaker's program
suffers from a basic self-contradlc-
ton becomes obvious, however, when
he announces that the office will
proceed to provide suggestions OF
resource material to help the schools
fight what is called "antithelstlcal
beliefs and practices" Now, if the
strange word "antitheistlcar' IN
plain English means Goddess" 1T
follows that the Office of Education
now will embark on campaign
against Goddess beliefs and practices.
The triple purpose of this Federal
propaganda campaign in our schools,
then, is to have Federal authorities
define the basic principles of de-
mocracy lover and above the United
States Constitution), to furnish Of
fetal criteria for the effectiveness OF
democracy in our schools, and to
help the schools fight Goddess
theories and practices. =
No citizen will deny that, in them
selves, these are lofty and necessary
purposes, even though groups OF
"antitheistical" citizens may object
that the Government has no con-
stitutional right to use money for
propagandizing for religion and
against citizens who do not believe
in God and His commandments.
This whole new Federal program
as suggested by the Office Of Edu-
cation is harmful and has most
dangerous implications for our free
dom of education. 1t is an un-
warranted and unWanted interfer-
ence in a domain which must re-
main free of Federal advice, Federal
propaganda and Federal missionary
effort.
Fears Party Influence
Political prudence leads us to fear
that any teaching of political ideas,
directed and financed by the central
Government, will be determined in
the end by the philosophy of the
party or faction, or even person
In power, rather than by precepts Of
the Declaration Of Independence or
the Constitution with its Bill of
Rights. The practice and teaching
of these ideas isstrictly the business
of the local community.
The idea of liberty happens to
be in fashion at the moment, so
for the time being there would ap-
pear to be no visible conflict. But
II the doctrine of the al-power-
full, all-fostering Government dom
mates the executive branch again,
as it has been known to do, how
long will a bureau in such an ad-
ministration continue to teach that
that Nation is best governed which
Is governed least? Or that econ
omy in government is moral vir-
tue? Or that the only way to pre-
serve liberty is to accept no favors
from the state? How long will it
take before propaganda seeps in,
saying that the American system
was" q good system, but now we
have new" problems? How long be-
fore such a bureau would redeflne
4Cpl CCCtIOoO1fC W
mean that the Executive should
have control of our economic life,
leaving Congress with a veto power
or even making Congress over into
a rubber stamp institution?
Breeds Factionalism
Suppose THE Office of Education,
even in the future, should be led
by men of higher intelligence and
real integrity. What would hap
pen, however, to such Federal off,
cials, If the President and his chief
advisers believed in concentrating
powers in the hands of the Execu-
tive of the planned state? Suppose
the head Of the United States Of
flee Of Education refused to con-
form to these new ideas OF So
called social democracy, this New
Deal for America?
How long would it be before one
Of his ambitious subordinates would
reach the President with a plan
for better" political education? Or