Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-04-14
BY PAUL HOPE
Star Staff Writer

Administration forces in Con-
gress went home for Easter still
undecided whether to try to
keep the Presidents education
eggs in one basket or start roll
ing them out one at a time.
Heavy breakage may be In
prospect either way.
With three months Of the ses-
sion gone, Congress and the
administration seem to be
marking time on the Presi-
dents $50 billion education
program, each waiting for some
guidance from the other.
President Kennedy submitted
his omnibus education bill to
Congress January 20. A neat
package of "a items, 1t had
something for nearly everyone
There were programs for
higher education. There was
general Federal aid for elemen-
tary and high schools, expan-
sion of the 5-year-old National
Defense Education Act, extern
sion of the popular impacted
area aid, money for training
teachers of the handicapped
grants for adult basic educa-
ton, expansion Of the en-
trenched vocational education
program and money for IL
braries.
Factions at Odds
Each of these programs has
had its own hackers who otter
fought with one another as
they pushed their own projects
The administration thought
the package approach woulC
pull together the factions be-
hind a single bill. This doesn't
seem to be the case, however.
Congressional resistance Il
general aid to elementary edu'
cation, a proposal which foun.
dered in 1861 on the religious
controversy, is as strong a.
ever. The economy wave which
appears to be sweeping ovel
Capitol Hill makes it hare
going for any extensive new
programs.
Southern Congressman arr
leery of extending education
programs for fear Of giving
Federal authorities additional
grounds for pushing racia
indignation.
Since the omnibus approach
hasn't produced any ground.
swell of backing, many Of the
Presidents supporters are wait.
ing to see what the White
House is going to do about it
Some of them think it is time
to start assigning priority tt
specific items and start push.
ing them.
Aware of Requests
But administration source
say their position is this: wv
have advised Congress what VI
want; now we think it's VI
to Congress to advise U.s."
Secretary of Health, Educa
ton and Welfare Celebrezz
said last week he has no inten
ton of abandoning the omnibu
approach. He said If Congress
wants to pass legislation piece
meal that's their prerogative.
In the House, where resist
ance to the Presidents pro
grams have been strongest Il
the past, the Education an
Labor Committee thought tn
omnibus bill was a nightly bi
pill to swallow but it dutifull
held hearings on the entir
package.
With Republicans and man
Democrats clamoring to brea
it up, the committee decided
take another look at the ind
vidual parts and then decid
whether to stick with the ON
nibus approach or handle
piecemeal.
Committee sources say ther
is still an outside chance
coming up with an omnibl
bill by eliminating some of IL
more controversial items. b
the general feeling seems to |
that the package will
strapped and legislation har
died as separate bills.
Can't Accept
Administration sources arer
ready to accept this yet. Tit
say there is no assurance tn
If the bill is broken up Il
various parts won't run into Il