Evening star., 1961-05-20
Aid for Schools

Wnen ldSJ neaTu Jns
count, Senator Javits said
that his mail with regard to
Federal aid to education
amounted to 10000 letters in
favor Of Federal aid to pa
rochial schools and only 1000
against it.
With the greatest respect
for all those who have ex-
pressed their own views on
this most significant national
issue, I would like to point
out what I believe must be
the very heart Of legislative
responsibility in q represent
ative democracy. This is the
ability OF the individual
members Of Congress to rec
ognize when the majority is
wrong and the Constitution
is right, and regardless OF
real or imagined sacrifice, to
vote to uphold the ConStitu-
ton.
Such an ability is the mark
OF a man and not a boy; the
mark Of q statesman and not
a politician. 1t can only arise
from insight into the great
principles of the Constitution
and an intuitive understand
ing OF what they mean. The
capacity to define and argue
about these principles is a
secondary strength in pre-
serving them. The real guar
antee Of their preservation,
and hence for the preserva-
tion of our free society. is for
citizens and legislators to I'M
derstand at least to some de-
gree what they really mean.
This IL an ability not pos
sessed by fools. and 1t Is not
exercised by politicians over
anxious for votes and tenure
Of office. Nor is 1t possible
of comprehension by the mar
rowly educated mind.
Thus observers both at
home and abroad will be able
to Judge at a glance the true
temper of the steel In our
governing process by the vote
on Federal aid to parochial
schools. For 1t will show with
mercileSs clarity to what de-
gree the great concept of
separation Of church and
state, which is the genius of
our country's greatness, is
itself understood by the men
who now stand guard over
our destiny as nation.
Marion r. Sittler.
II. as the administration
claims. grants or loans to
Sectarian schools would be
unconstitutional, 1t appears
that indirect grants or loans
for so-called non-religious
aspects of the same schools
would similarly be violstive.
Aid for non-religious as
poets merely enables those
schools to divert their own
funds from those aspects to
the religious. We can with
greater forthrightness at
tempt to settle the issue Of
aid to sectarian schools.
whether direct or indirect. 1t
Is less fortnight to argue
that religious aid is uncon-
Stitutional but that it may be
offered indirectly.
In view OF the turn which
discussion and memoranda
appear to be taking, it will
not be surprising If a serious
attempt is actually made to
support "nonreligious aspects
OF religious schools" while
the legality Of aid to such
schools Is at the same time
and by the same people Of
ficially denied.
Lloyd Buchanan.
Many Of the opponents Of
Federal aid to parochial
schools have cited the con-
stitutional principle OF "sepa-
ration Of church and state"
This phrase. however, Is no.
where to be found In the
Constitution Of the United
States nor In any Of the
State constitutions. Indeed, a
study OF the constitutions OF
80 foreign countries reveals
that the phrase is found in
none save the constitutions
Of Russia, Ukrainia. Bulgaria,
Romania. Yugoslavia, Poland
and Outer Mongolia.
Article Is Of the constitu-
ton Of Yugoslavia reads:
THE Church is separated
from the State" Article 104
of the Ukrainian constitution
states: ITO insure to citizens
freedom of conscience, the
Church is separated from
the state and the school from
the Church" Article Four of
Part One. Chapter One Of the
Russian constitution reads:
For the purpose of assuring
real liberty Of conscience to
the workers, the church is
separated from the state and
the school from the church"