Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1949-06-21
House Group Expected
To Abandon Proposal
To Probe textbooks
Dr. The Asseeiatsd Press

By The kssseisssd Press
A projected congressional IN
vestigation of school books ap-
peared today TO have backfiret
INTO q House Un-American Activ-
saes Committee wastebasket.
Sepublican COMMITTEES nemDers
xenounced it yesterday and Demo
srats followed through today with
} prediction that the committee
VII drop 1t like a hot potato.
1t appeared likely that any in
vestigation made now Will be BY
a special commission of noted edu-
Gators, possibly headed by Gen
Dwight D. Eisenhower, president
of Columbia University.
Committee Chairman Wood said
he was at a loss to know what
all the shooting is about" and
insisted that the committee is not
investigating textbooks.
Wood Defends Action.
Purely preliminary steps," he
told newsmen. have been taken by
committee investigators as a re-
sult of complaints by the Sons Of
the American Revolution. These
complaints, he said, made some
very grave charges" involving
communism In schools.
at think" Mr.. Wood said. that
the educators themselves would be
interested in refuting the charges
If they are not true"
The three active Republican
members of the committee agreed
that the educators themselves
should make the study.
In joint statement, they dis
associated themselves from the
proposed inquiry which they said
was undertaken by the committee
staff "at the request of some of
the majority members" and with
out the advance knowledge of the
Republicans.
Representatives Nixon of Cali
fornia, Case of South Dakota and
Velde of Illinois signed the state
ment. The fourth Republican.
Representative j. Parnell Thomas
of New Jersey, is Ill.
Probe Rejected Last Year.
They said the committee re-
jected proposals to investigate
textbooks when Republicans ran it
last year, although they said they
realize that "our educational sys-
tenn and our school textbooks are a
high priority target of the Com
munist conspiracy in this country"
An investigation "by qualified
nonpolitical body" is needed, they
said, adding that perhaps COM
mission of educators composed OF
men like Gen. Eisenhower and DR..
Henry M. Wriston, president OF
Brown University. should handle
1t.
Representative Walter, Demo-
crat. of Pennsylvania. a commit
tee member, agreed with the
Republicans that distinguished
educators" should make the in
vestigation. He insisted that there
is no formal committee investiga-
ton underway and attributed the
furore to IAN unfortunate in
depreciation" of a letter sent out
by committee investigators.
After the letter drew an
avalanche of criticism. the CONS
mittee sent out another letter
assuring the educators that it
didn't intend to censor textbook"
but merely to check up on serious
allegations"
Methodist Bishop G. Bromley
Oman said In an address at
Wellesley. Mass, yesterday that
Free men may well be alarmed
when educational institutions are
subpoenaed to produce a list of
textbooks to be perused by Con-
gressmen, who may or may not
be qualified to understand them"
Representative Moulder. Demo-
crat, Missouri told reporters the
action in asked for the textbook
lists was IAN unfortunate mis-
take"
He said the committee should
have some information before
making an investigation which
would justify any preliminary in
quiries." He said he was not con-
suited about sending out the orig
inal letter.
II would have objected to that
method Of carrying on the in
vestigation. he said.
Committee clerks said letters OF
request went to the University Of
Missouri, Missouri Teachers Col
leges at Warrenburg. Kirssville
and Springfield, and to primary
and secondary school officials in
Buchanan, Cole and Jasper
Counties, and In st. Louis, Jeffer-
son City and Joplin.
The clerks said that in States
where there was State textbook
adoption, State school officials
were asked to submit the lists for
grade and high schools.
That was the case in Oklahoma
and Kansas, where these colleges
were asked for lists:
The University OF Oklahoma
and Oklahoma Teachers Colleges
at Edmond, Ada, Tahlequah and
Durant; the University of Kansas
and Kansas Teachers Colleges at
Pittsburg, Emporia and Hays.
LOST.