Evening star., 1959-11-06
Schools Issue
Called Up 10
White House
THE EVENING STAR B-7
Washington, D. c.
Friday, November 6, 1859
BY ROBERT X. WALSH
Star stan Writer

A break in the legislative
deadlock on Federal aid for
school construction depends
primarily on the White House,
high-level Democrats and Re-
publicans on the House Educa-
tion Committee said today.
A subcommitte that recon-
mended a $4.4 billion program
last June to help States build
schools and pay teachers agreed
at a long closed session yester-
day that the measure had no
chance of passage. The discus
sion showed also that a sug-
gested compromise faces strong
Opposition especially from
House Democratic liberals.
See Possible Victory
But Subcommittee Chairman
Bailey, Democrat of West Vir-
ginia, and Representative
Kearns of Pennsylvania. rank
ing Republican on the full COM
mittee, predicted enough
strength" to win committee ap-
proval and congressional pas
sage Of the proposed substitute
if the White House agrees.
They said they would jointly
introduce a revised bill in Jantl-
ary only if they receive assur-
ance that the Eisenhower ad-
ministration will accept it. Mr..
Bailey said he wants assurance
that the President would sign
it; Mr.. Kearns preferred to use
the words administration as
surance." The Pennsylvania
said that at this stage much
depends on the attitude of the
Health, Education and Welfare
Department and other presi-
dental advisers.
Meets Objections
The proposed compromise, as
outlined by some subcommittee
members. apparently goes far
to meet many Of Mr.. Eisen-
hower's objections to the bill
reported out by the subcom-
mittee and full committee last
June. 1t presumably also would
eliminate or ease the opposition
of many Democrats, particu-
larly because it would strike
out the original provision for
Federal aid for teachers pay.
The earlier bill, Shelved in
the House Rules Committee,
would provide about $1.1 bill
lion annually for four years in
outright Federal grants to
States for school construction
and teachers salaries. A Sen
ate bill, likewise unacceptable
to the administration and to
conflicting groups in the House,
would provide $500 million a
year for two years in grants
for school construction.
Long Term Loans
The compromise suggestion,
satisfactory in general to Mr.,
Bailey and Mr.. Kearns but dis
liked by Representative Thomp-
son, Democrat of New Jersey
another subcommittee member
would keep the administrations
basic insiStence on long-tern
loans to help communities pay
off school construction loans.
But it also would provide
for grants in some instances
and short-term financial as.
slStance on a matching basis
1t would permit communities
as well as States to provide thu
matching funds. 1t would re.
move the administrations pro.
posed requirement that States
must demonstrate a reason,
able tax effort" before receiv.
ing assistance.
Subcommittee members sail
the proposed compromise ha
not yet been put into a legis
lative draft. This will be don,
by the subcommittee staff ant
the tentative version circulated
among members of the subcom
mittee and full committee fo
study before Congress convene
in January.
Meanwhile, the subcommit
tee plans informal conference
and Soundings to determin
what the administration think
about it.