Evening star., 1949-07-31

instead of public schools, that is
their own affair.
Primarily the contest in Con-
gress is between those who believe
that the Federal Government
should keep its hand off the
schools and who are against Fed
eral contributions to the elemen-
tary and secondary schools as now
proposed, and those who insist
that it is the duty of the Federal
Government to see that every
child in this country has an equal
opportunity for adequate educa-
ton. The latter point to those
States which are too poor to pro-
vide proper schooling for their
children. and to those States
which. even if they are not too
poor, fail to make such provision
1t has been bitter fight for
years-a fight whose flames are
now famed by the religious issue.
Opponents of Federal aid to edu-
cation have joined up with the
Catholics in Congress, and the
outcome in the House is still un-
certain.
The religious issue in this coun-
try has f1ared up. with intolerance
and bigotry as its handmaidens,
on numerous-too numerous-oc-
casions. An early example was
the organization of the Know
Nothing Party. and the secret po-
litical organizations from which
the party sprang. They were pri-
marily the result of heavy foreign
immigration, and the awakening
of native American prejudice and
alarm. From 1925 to 1845, immi-
grafton amounted to 1923, ,225, and
from 1845 to 1850, a f1ve-year
period. about as many immigrants
entered the country as in the
earlier 20 years. Many of them
were Catholics, coming frem Ire
| land. fleeing from the famine
there. Native resentment rose
and demanded that public Office
should be reserved to native Amer
leans. One of the principles of
the Know-Nothing Party was no
Sectarian interference with legis-
lation and administration of law.
This carried with it opposition
to the Catholics and the Pope.
In Philadelphia, two Catholic
churches were destroyed in riots
between natives and Irish immi-
grants. At Boston, a convent
was burned.
'know.Nothings' and Khan
The Know-Nothing Party. So
called because, at it's start, its
members when questioned about
the party replied. Il know moth
Ing" came into the open in 1882
and for the next few years sue
ceeded in electing members of
Congress, Governors and other Of
f1cials in a number of States. The
rallying cry was. Americans Must
Rule America" It demanded I'll
years of residence in this country
as prerequisite of naturalization
In the end, about 1856. the party
was swallowed up by the Demo-
Gratis and Republicans, in the con-
f1ict that was to bring civil war.
The revival of the old Ku KluxI
klan in the early '20s, when
that organization, which had had
its origin in the South in recon-
struction days. moved into the
North and West, was aimed
strongly at Catholics. The Klan.
a secret organization, gained po-
lltical power in several States. It
staged a great parade in the Ma
tion's Capital. But it's influence
was ephemeral the American
people would not stand for dicta-
ton by secret organization.
Then in 1923 came the Hoover
Smith presidential campaign. The
Democrats nominated great Gov
ernor of New York, a Catholic,
Alfred E. Smith. A religious war
then was on. So bitter was it that
five of the States of the so-called
Democratic solid South went Re-
publican, and Smith was a badly
defeated candidate. Mrs. Roose-
velt. in reply to Cardinal Spell
mans charge of bigotry and in
tolerance. cited her complete sup
port of and campaigning for the
election Of Al Smith.
One Question Overlooked
In support Of their demands
that, If Federal funds are to be
used for schools, the non-public
schools. including their own pa
rochial schools. be allowed to par
ticipate. the Catholics point out
that they are taxed to support the
public schools. At the same time
they tax themselves to support
their own schools. which must
conform to the standards of edu-
cation set up for the public
schools. Is it fair, they ask, for
the Federal Government to deny
their schools aid under such con-
ditions? If the goal is equaliza-
ton of the opportunities of edu-
cation to all school children, is
not the denial of Federal funds
rank discrimination against the
Catholics?
Further, it may be pointed out
that If the parochial schools were
suddenly closed and all their pu-
pills dumped on the doorsteps of
the public schools it would tre-
mendously increase the cost Of the
public school system. And, OF
course. they could not be cared for
in the public schools unless the
church schools were taken over by
the state and thousands Of teach
ers had been added to the public
school stats.
Take a look at the statistics of
the parochial schools. The latest
figures for the school year 1918
show $3.50 Catholic elementary