The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1950-12-14
Conference Adopts
Broad Program
To Aid Children

Washington UPA) - The Mid
century White House Conference
on Children & Youth ended its
five-day session here with adoption
Of a broad program for the benefit
of children. At least three planks
came in for immediate attack after
wards. One will probably be dis
puted for months to come.
1t affirmed the principle of sep
aration of church and state (which
has been the keystone of our Am
erican democracy" and declared
the conference 'unalterably oppos-
ed to the use of the public schools
directly or indirectly for religious
educational purposes"
Final vote on the issue was 1181
to 635. The section that was de-
feated included recommendation
for community support of "some
plan" for teaching religion to all
children, use of religious text
books in public schools, and college
credit for religious instruction.
Several clergyman delegates
threatened to withdraw from the
conference after the vote was an
nounced.
Another controversial resolution
supported federal aid to tax-sup-
ported public schools, and urged
Congress to consider auxiliary SER
vices, such as transportation and
textbooks, in separate legislation.
A minority wanted such services
for parochial schools to be includ-
ed in the recommendation.
A section on housing was over
whelmingly approved, urging full
speed construction Of $4,000 low
rent public housing units, develop
ment Of cooperative housing pro-
gram geared to the needs Of mid
dle-income families, support Of the
slum-clearance now getting under
way, and use Of the "need prin-
ciple" in deciding where defense
housing should be built.
These recommendations drew an
immediate blast from the real
estate lobby. Frank w. Cortright,
an official of the Natl Assn of
Home Builders, termed it "a tragic
example Of the power of left-wing
groups in the federal government.
The public housing program should
not be allowed to proceed at this
time, Cortright said, charging that
it is socialist housing"
The most rousing support at the
conference was for a resolution
supporting President Trum a n
civil rights program, because it
represents our faith in and practice
of democracy" 1t urged prompt
steps to eliminate all types Of
racial and religious segregation,
and appealed to the federal gov
ernment ''to abolish segregation in
the nations Capital, making Wash
ington the worlds example of a
truly working democratic absence
of discriminatory practices on the
basis of race, creed or color"
Further recommendations includ-
ed suggestions:
That there be further study of
the underlying causes of broken
homes and increasing divorce.
That specific efforts be made to
bring lower income groups to
higher income level and to increase
their real income by providing a
greater variety of community SER
vice.
That schools, labor, industry, and
other community agencies involved,
and the military services, improve
and expand their personnel, evalu-
alton, placement, and vocational
guidance and counseling activities
to serve the interests of the young
people and to promote the overall
and utilization of our
total human resources.
That adequate allowances be
provided for wives and children Of
That nursery schools and kinder
gartens, as desirable supplement
to home life, be included as part
of public educational opportunity
for children.
That children Of migrant and
seasonal workers be given all the
projections and services available
to other children, with special re-
gard to transportation, housing,
sanitation, health and educational
services, social benefits, and pro-
lection under labor laws.