Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1950-04-14

er standards of living would ror, prrL.
result.
The Point Four Program was designed to
eliminate some of the evils on which Com
munism thrives and is part of our fight against
the spread of Communism. The drastic cut
may seriously hamper the program and 1t is to
be hoped that the Senate, which will debate on
the bill after Easter, will restore the fund to
its original figure.
While ECA Is proving an expensive pro-
gram is must be considered as payment on an
insurance policy against future wars. The
spending of some SO, billion now may save
war costs of many more billions, possibly
even trillons in the future.
The Kerr Bill, which destroys the govern
ments right to regulate the price of gas sold to
interstate pipelines proved to be hot issue in
the House last week when we voted on accep-
tance of Senate amendments. The Senate yer
sion was approved by the slim margin of two
votes
/ voted against both the original bill and
the amendments because l think the consumer
should have some protection against an in
crease in natural gas rates, increases which
will amount to between $3.50 and $500 million
a year, il the President signs the BILL
Talk on Capitol Hill is that the gas and oil
interests, which will receive the gravy from
this legislation, have agreed not to raise rates
until after election as not to emberass con-
gressmen, up for reelection who voted for the
bill. After elections, they say, rates are bound
to soar.
Our only hope is, of course, that Mr. Tru-
man will veto the bill and there is good pos
sbility that he will.
The Dixiecrat-Republican coalition killed
the hopes of millions of middle-income fami
lies for homes of their own when it dealt the
death blow TO the cooperative provisions of
the Housing Bill. In doing they ignored the
pleas of organized labor, the churches and the
uh
ton. In fact, ii the first time the five major
veterans organizations were united on legs-
lative Issue.
There is something psradoxical in the fact
that bill which provides identical aid for two
classes of citizens could be split in two so that
large corporations will be aided in building
housing projects for investment purposes while
families of modest incomes are precluded from
building homes of their own with the same
kind of government aid.
have no quarrel with the proposal to aid
private building concerns because it results in
more housing, but cannot understand the leg
islative mind that finds 1t quite compatible
with the American Way" to make loans to
real estate interests but brands as "un-Ameri-
can" similar loans to housing cooperatives
Neither can 1 comprehend the thought pro-
cesses of those legislators who, in arguing
the Commodity Cridt bill praised farmer CO.
operatives as the foundation of sound econom-
housing cooperatives sinister and social
istic.
The Federal Works Agency, General Serv-
ices Administration has approved $10,240 for
the planning of a sewage treatment plant and
interceptng sewers at Oak Harbor, they in
formed me this week. The funds made
available under Public Law 352, passed dur
ing the last session of this Congress. This law
provides that funds be advanced to commun-
ties to plan for the construction of p lic
works, repayment to be made IL the works
constructed
II seems something went wrong with the
mechanics of mailing the last issue of this re-
port and many persons received only the last
page. extend my apologies and include here
with the missing page.
The Federal Aid to Education controversy
has narrowed down to two proposals, aid for
construction and aid for teachers salaries. The
construction bill Is not yet formulated and
am the subcommittee which has that job.
The teachers pay bill Is the bill introduced
last August H.R. 5939.
Whether or not the Burke Bill is reported
out of the Education and Labor Committee, it
will serve as a basis for determining the funda-
mental issue at stake should the Federal
Government participate in financing elemen-
tsry and secondary education
Because this Is single purpose bill which
would earmark the total Federal grant for
teachers salaries, it is not concerned with the
religious argument or with any other fringe
issues. II focuses directly on the question of
whether education of children will be aid
ed financially by our Federal government or
remain exclusively the concern of the sep
arate States.
This bill Is not the same proposition as
the amendment which l offered when the
Committee was considering the Senate bill.
That provided only 1871 of the grant for
teachers salaries, leaving room for other
types OF aid. 1t was defeated 10 to Ia.
l think H.R 1899 is the better deal be-
cause 1t concentrates the greatest need in
the field of education, more well qualified
teachers The present shortage of teachers is
due, to the low salaries paid, salaries which
do not attract new recruits to the profession.
While this may be true of our own district the
fact remains that 1t is a natal problem.
The Committee voted 1912 to read this
bill for amendments starting April II or as
soon thereafter possible. There is no way
OF telling at this time what the outcome will
be, but think il is safe to predict that we will
decide at that time whether or not he Fed
eral government is ready to contribute finan
cially to the education of future generations.
National recognition will be accorded the
Capella Choir of DeVilbiss High School
when its members come to Washington for
tour next month. They wrote to me asking for
an opportunity to sing in Washington and /
was able to arrange for them to appear on