Evening star., 1949-08-03
Education Bill Blocked
By misunderstanding
Among Church Groups
/ Congress Members Fear
! ReprisoIs at Polls Due
To Confusion on Issue
Bv David Laurence


gious groups Is blocking the pas
sage Of the bill in Congress to ap-
propriate $30O,o0o.ooo to aid edu-
cation.
The controversy between Cardi-
nal Spellman and Mrs. Franklin
D. Roosevelt has served to confuse
rather than to clarity the issue
so much so that members Of Con-
gress, fearing political reprisals
at the polls from one group or the
other. would prefer to see nothing
done at this session.
The points of difference are by
no means simple.
One faction says that public
funds, derived from taxes, shall
not be used to support pupils In
private or parochial schools.
Another faction says that the
parents of parochial school pupils
shall not be asked to pay State
taxes to support public schools
and then be denied Federal aid
for their own schools.
~ A third view is that Federal
money spent in private schools
means a mixing of church and
state.
A fourth view is that failure
to allow public money to be
spent for the aid of parochial
schools Is a discrimination against
religious schools, especially as the
money sought is to pay for non
4eligious textbooks.
Facts Not Widely Known.
The average citizen may well
b bswildered by these conflicting
approaches. Certain facts, how
ever, are not apparently widely
known.
Thus, for instance, 1t may come
as 1 surprise to various groups
to larn that the Federal Govern
,meE has for some time now
bee, spending public funds on
stusents in parochial schools.
1t Is not novel for the Federal
Guernment or the States to do
thi. Here are some Of the facts
on,this phase:
] School lunches are provided
.thpugh the United States Depart
mat Of Agriculture to needy
children in both public and
papchial schools. To finance
THU, Congress has appropriated
thii year $s3.5oo.o 900. The Federal
furli is matched dollar for dollar
by The States.
2. In 20 States where laws or
constitutional provisions prevent
the use Of State or local funds for
parochial schools. the lunch
money is paid directly to the pa
rochial schools by the Federal
Government. For the year ending
June 80, o total Of $2.288.216 was
disbursed to parochial or private
schools In this way.
3. Many Catholic colleges and
universities have received grants
of money out of the 10000. 900
research funds Of the Army. Navy,
Air Force, Atomic Energy Com
mission, Public Health Service.
Department and other
agencies of the Federal Govern
ment.
4. The largest amount Of Federal
going at present to Catho-
lie colleges and universities de-
rives from the CT Bill of Rights.
Tuition money in the millions has
been furnished to thousands OF
war veterans attending Catholic
or other religious sponsored insti-
tutions.
Form of Discrimination Seen.
Because Federal money has al
ready been appropriated this way
in the past, various members OF
Congress feel that to deny the pro-
ceeds Of the new appropriation to
private and parochial schools
would be q form Of discrimination
by the Federal Government.
The number Of pupils involved
in the controversy is relatively
small. Thus, it is estimated that
the enrolment in private and pa
rochial schools is about $500. 900.
while the public schools enroll
%, ,0O0.0 900 pupils.
The cost of operating the public
schools Is estimated at $4,000. .000.-
600 a year and the cost of private
and parochial schools is estimated
1t $500, 100000.
Hence, q Federal appropriation
of 5000, ,000, 900, if allocated on the
basis of enrollments, would go al
most 80 per cent to public schools
and colleges and only 10 per cent
would go to the religious schools.
It is the principle of the thing.
however, which has enveloped the
controversy in emotional feeling.
One side says the parents of pupils
In private schools shall bear all
the expenses thereof, while the
other side says that the parents
who send their children to pa
rochial schools are already bear
ing a double burden and hence
the Federal money should be ap-
portioned fairly to all irrespective
of religions or creed.
There is plenty of talk about
compromise. It will, however, take
80 much time for any compromise
to be consummated that there is
little chance of an aid-to-educa-
ton bill being passed at this ses-
sion.
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