Evening star., 1951-07-27
Congress Action
Faces Scrutiny
On GI Tuition
House Unit Plans
Further Hearings on.
MARYLAND U .


Maryland and many other schools
received from the Veterans Ad-
miniStration in the CT education
program. ....
A committee, headed by Repre-
sentative league, Democrat, of
Texas, today planned further
hearings to determine whether
the University of Maryland ac-
cumulated a surplus (of So mil
lion) as a result of training vet
Grams under contract with the
Veterans Administration"
1t announced also that it wants
to explore the reason why the
Veterans Administration reversed
itself. over GAO objections. and
permitted the Maryland institu-
ton to collect dual tuition in
the form of a credit hour fee, as
well as fixed charge based on
the cost Of teaching personnel and
supplies for veterans.
Maryland University President
H. c. Byrd, in a~letter to the COM
mittee, denied there was duplica-
tion of payments during the period
from 1916 to 1949. He likewise OBJ
jected to other criticism made in
a GAO survey report to the COM
mittee earlier this week.
Denies Large Profits.
The State and the University
of Maryland" DR.. Byrd told the
committee, in a letter it released
last night, ARE glad that they
could make these contributions to
such a worthy cause; but we do
not look very kindly on the criti-
ciSm, which for the most part
originated in the General Ac-
counting Office. that the univer-
sity made large profits out of pay
mentS for this education when the
figures show it did not.
Such criticism becomes a little
more uncalled for when it is
realized that neighboring private
institutions have received, with
out comment or objection, much
larger sums per student for less
costly forms of education.
"One would infer that there
are some who think the States
should be charged with the costs
of the education for CT students
that the Federal Government
promised to give them.
"There has been no duplication
of payment. There has been no
profit realized by this institution.
All payments made by the Gov
ernment in behalf of the educa-
ton furnished to veteran students
have been used for the purpose
as set forth in the law and in ac-
cordance with the intent as stated |,
by the Congress"
Not Determination.
Mr.. league emphasized that the
committee has not passed judg-
ment on the University of Mary
land, the VA or the GAO. But it
has decided, he announced, to go
ahead with hearings not only to
learn more about the Maryland
situation, but also Ito determine
whether other similar universities
and colleges have been allowed to
make large fixed charge in addi-
tion to credit hour fee."
Congressional responsibility, if
any, for the reported difficulties
became an issue as a result of
questions raised by Representa-
tive Karsten, Democrat, of Mis-
souri,. and comments in the GAO
report itself.
Western Case Cited.
"The legislation in the last Con-
greSS," Mr.. Karsten recalled, was
opposed by the Controller General
and the Budget Bureau because,
in principle, it provided double
payment for the same services, |
with the Government footing the
bill, Evidence was produced show
ing one case where six professors
at a Western university were part
ly paid under the Federal Land
Grant Act, and the same univer-
sity offered cost estimates listing
these professors salaries for reim-
bursement under the CT education
bill"
The Veterans Administration,
he said, estimated that the bill
passed last year would cost the
Government an additional $10I
million.
Here you have the Government
paying $40 million for $40 million
worth OF services" he asserted.
Those complaining loudest about
double tuition today voted for the
bill
Committee spokesmen said they
want to look into all aspects of
the complaints of overpayments
or other questionable" practices
or official interpretations in the
CT education program.
They insisted they were not
prejudging the matter in advance
of the further hearings. They
noted. however, that the GAOIl
survey report. which will form the
basis of the hearings, stated that
some of the trouble may have re-
suited from actions by Congress
in recent years.
Rates Out of Proportion.
"As the program developed" ;"
the report stated, many institu-
tions, with view to receiving the
maximum tuition ($500) allowa-
BILE, increased their rates to
point where they were far out of
proportion to costs.
"The VA attempted to control
this trend by requiring submission
of cost data and the negotiation
OF contracts. The inevitable de-
lay in negotiation of controls and
the holding of tuition charges to
amounts more nearly related to
costs was resented by school
operators and officials and was
followed by charges that the VA
had acted arbitrarily.
ITO remedy this situation, Con-
greSS froZe rates which had been h