Evening star., 1949-05-05
.Chureh-State Issue
Revived by Dispute
Over School Buses
By ne Asseeseaed Press

i
church and state was raised today
in the Senate by two conflicting
amendments offered TO the Federal
aid TO education bill
The Senate went into its fifth
day of debate on the $500. .00o. 900
measure confronted by a proposal
of Senator. Mcmahon, Democrat.
Of Connecticut. to let some Of the
funds be used for school bus sery-
ices for all children.
Under his amendment, the money
granted 10 the States would be
available to children in private
and parochial schools as wen as
public schools.
As written. the bill provides that
the proposed aid might be used for
nonpublic education as each State
saw At.
Cites Auxiliary Services.
Senator Mcmahon said the Su-
preme Court has held that the
States can provide auxiliary serv-
ices for children in nonpublic
schools-despite its ruling that
Federal taxes cannot be used TO
support any religious activities or
institutions.
He told a reporter that "auxil-
iary services" include bus and rec
reational services and noted that
the Senate last week passed a bill
to give s35.ooo. 900 a year to the
States to help pay for health
examinations for children in all
schools.
He said Congress appropriates
funds for school lunch programs
in the same way, and added:
There is no religion in a quart
Of milk or a bus ride"
But Senator Donnell, Repub-
lican. Of Missouri contended the
bill already goes too far in that
respect. He presented an amend
ment that would limit use Of the
aid funds to public elementary
and secondary schools regardless
of State policy.
Defeated Last Year.
Both amendments were defeated
last year when they were offered
to an almost identical school and
bill. The Senate passed that
measure. but it died in q House
committee.
At. least two other amendments
remained to be acted on before
the Senate could complete final
action on the current bill.
One, by Senator johnson. DEM
ocrat. Of Colorado would require
, using not less than rs per cent
of the funds allotted to each State
for payment of teachers salaries.
/ The other, by Senator Langer
Republican, of North Dakota
would direct the United States
Commissioner Of Education to
have audits made OF the aid funds
spent by each State and to deduct
from later payments any amount
found to have been improperly
spent.
3 Amendments Rejected.
The Senate yesterday rejected
three proposed amendments.
One. by Senator Tydings. Dem
ocrat. Of Maryland would have
knocked out all aid for % States
and the District Of Columbia by
confining 1t to States which can
not afford to spend as much per
pupil as the national average.
The closest vote came on an
amendment by Senator Baldwin.
Republican. of Connecticut to have
each State take its share Of the
funds from Federal taxes collected
within the State. Senator Bald
win argued this financial short cut
would guarantee" q minimum Of
Federal control over the schools.
Senator Taft, Republican. Of
Ohio and Senator Thomas, Demo-
crat. of Utah, two sponsors Of the
bill, said they sympathized with
the objective but added 1t violated
Federal financial practices.
The Senate shouted down an
amendment by Senators Mccarthy,
Republican. Of Wisconsin; Hen
erickson, Republican, Of New
Jersey, and LANCER to require
States to pay school teachers at
least $2,850 a year.
The main argument against 1t
was that it might interfere with
: local school systems.