Evening star., 1963-02-06
School Bill Showdown
Blocked by Democrats

lsay when she received it or
where 1t was postmarked. II
informed the committee that
the chairman authorized Mr..
Perkins and Mrs. Green to pre-
side as subcommittee chair
men, If necessary. to conduct
the hearings on the $50 billion
aid-to- education bill.
This was generally inter-
preted as a move to prevent
Republicans from raising the
no-quorum issue from now on,
Under committee rules, only
two members of a subcommit-
tee are necessary to conduct a
hearing.
i The committee then began
hearing witnesses from the
National Education Associa-
Ition. the American Council on
Education and the National
Catholic Welfare Conference.
Closely Questioned
Robert H. Wyatt, president
elect of the NEA, underwent
rugged questioning by many
committee Democrats as we'll
as Republicans as to whether
his organization has "repudi-
ated" its 1862 opposition to
Federal aid to church-con-
nected colleges and univer-
sites.
Mr., Wyatt's opening state
ment Endorsed the administra-
ton proposal for certain types
OF Federal financial aid to
higher institutions of learning,
private as well as public.
Several committee members
charged that the NEA was
largely responsible for the
death of a higher education
aid bill in Congress last fall.
They recalled that members Of
Congress received kilograms
from the NEA objectiong to
Federal aid to colleges and uni
versities operated by religious
denominations.
Mr.. Wyatt said he did not
regard the MEAS Endorsement
Of the 1868 omnibus education
aid bill as Reputation"
At the committees request,
he promised to provide a docu-
mented statement explaining
how the organization adopted
its policy last year.
PreIate Testifies
Representative Pucinski,
Democrat of Illinois, asked Mr..
Wyatt what assurance do we
have that your testimony to-
day won't be undone later by
some NEA policy statement If
a bill is about to be passed by
Congress?" Mr.. Wyatt replied
that he was confident the
NEA would stand by the in
dorsement.
Msgr. Frederick @. Hoch-
walt, director of the NCWC
education department, said the
comprehensive bill presents a
dilemma to many of U.S." He
said that unfortunately, in its
present form, it seemed to re-
quire choosing it in its en-
tirety or rejecting it in its en-
tirety."
IndOrses Parts
He indorsed many provisions
of the bill, particularly the pro-
posed Federal aid for colleges
and universities, whether pri-
Vate or public. Protesting against
the provision limiting Federal
aid for elementary and second
ary schools only to public in
stitutions, Msgr. Hochwalt told
the committee:
This division will. of course,
arouse the old debate about
public and private schools. II
so. let us have that debate but
let us not jeopardize the har-
mony at the higher level which
already exists and which prom
ises so many satisfactory out
comes"
Charles E. Odegaard, chair
man of the American Council
on Education and president Of
the University of Washington,
indorsed what he described
as the bills comprehensive ap-
proach."
Il respectfully urge this COM
mittee to recognize the need
for a comprehensive approach
to educational needs" he said.
IF amendments are necessary,
let them be consistent with the
broad purposes Of the bill. l
doubt whether anyone is wise
enough to design the perfect
solution to the problems of
American education"