DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, DIVISION OF TERRITORIES AND ISLAND POSSESSIONS, Hon. ELBERT D. THOMAS, MY DEAR SENATOR THOMAS: The radiogram quoted below (No. 81, April 29) has been received from the Governor of Puerto Rico: "Following for Senator Elbert Thomas, Washington, D. C., from Jose M. Gallardo, Education Commissioner: 'Puerto Rico needs Federal aid to offer equal educational opportunities to all. Of 650,000 of school age, only 280,000 in school. After exhausting possible resources, can afford only $11 per child of school age. Passage of S. 1313 only hope of relief.'-Swope." This message was telephoned to your office today. RUPERT EMERSON, Director PUERTO RICO DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, COMMITTEE OF EUDCATION AND LABOR, The Senate of the United States, Washington, D. C. GENTLEMEN: You have before you at present a bill numbered S. 1313, whose purpose is to provide educational facilities for the United States and its Territories. We, the faculty of this school, under the principalship of Mrs. A. B. Colòn, heartily endorse this bill which concerns a subject so close to our hearts. We, as educators, have big ideals and ideas for helping our students live better and more efficient lives, but we are limited to small deeds because of lack of facilities and funds. We cannot teach where there are no schools; we cannot teach efficiently where there is inadequate equipment; we cannot teach efficiently a class that, in reality, should be two classes. Gentlemen, you have it in your power to help us and the educational system of Puerto Rico greatly by granting approval of bill S. 1313. With its passage we can do a better job and you will have the gratitude of the teachers of Puerto Rico who are working against tremendous odds. Respectfully yours, (Mrs.) AMPARO B. Colòn, Principal. JOHN C. O'HAGAN, Teacher of English. WOMEN'S INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE FOR PEACE AND FREEDOM, Sent to all metropolitan newspapers for immediate release. Whereas these children are mainly native-born children from the families of Negroes, of migratory workers, of Federal employees residing on Federal reservations and property, and of defense workers in many places, and Whereas the children of a nation build the future of that nation, and Whereas Senator Thomas has introduced a bill asking for an appropriation of $300,000,000 for Federal aid to schools, Therefore be it Resolved, That the officers and members of the board of the Manhattan Division of the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, urge the immediate passage of the Federal aid for schools bill, introduced by Senator Thomas. AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF UNIVERSITY WOMEN, Senator ELBERT D. THOMAS, Chairman, Senate Education and Labor Committee, Senate Office Building, Washington, D. C. MY DEAR SENATOR THOMAS: The American Association of University Women, composed of 70,000 members organized in 902 branches in every State in the Union for the purpose of practical educational work, endorsed the principle of Federal aid for free tax-supported public education at its eleventh national convention held in Denver, Colorado, in June 1939. As our local groups have studied the problem of Federal aid to education in their local communities, interest in securing effective legislation has increased. We believe that Senate bill, S. 1313, satisfies the necessary immediate requirements by providing steps toward equalization of educational opportunity from State to State, and by taking account of the present emergency in education caused by movements of population to defense areas. The American Association of University Women, therefore, urges prompt and favorable consideration of S. 1313, because it would help to provide similar standards in public elementary and secondary schools throughout the Nation as a basis for minimum standards in American life, which are essential to a national program of total defense. Sincerely yours, HARRIET AHLERS HOUDLETTE, RESOLUTION ADOPTED BY THE GENERAL FEDERATION OF WOMEN'S CLUBS Upon the request of Mrs. Lillian H. Ketterer, Chairman of Department of Legislation, General Federation of Women's Clubs, the following resolution of that organization is submitted for the record of the hearings on S. 1313: FEDERAL PARTICIPATION IN SUPPORT OF PUBLIC EDUCATION Whereas in the United States today there exist wide differences in the extent and quality of the school programs offered by the various States, particularly in the rural sections; and Whereas the States are unequal in their ability to support adequately public education, thus resulting in wide differences of educational opportunity; and Whereas existing educational inequalities cannot be removed even though the States adopt modern tax systems and allot a suitable proportion of resulting revenues to the financing of education: Therefore be it Resolved, That the General Federation of Women's Clubs in council assembled at San Francisco, May 1939, goes on record as favoring increased Federal participation in the support of public education without Federal control of educational policies and programs. Senator ELBERT D. THOMAS, AMERICAN YOUTH CONGRESS, Chairman, Senate Committee on Education and Labor, Senate Office Building, Washington, D. C. DEAR SENATOR THOMAS: The American Youth Congress, since its inception in 1934, has advocated a comprehensive system of Federal aid to education. We, therefore, welcome this opportunity to urge the committee to act favorably on S. 1313, reporting it to the Senate at an early date. At our 1940 convention we agreed that youth organizations would work for "adequate Federal aid to education to abolish the inequalities of opportunity between the States and to remedy inadequacies of facilities." It is our belief that the passage of S. 1313 would contribute to the achievement of this purpose. It is of course obvious that a sum much larger than $300,000,000 will be needed each year to achieve this purpose. We discover, through organizations participating in the Youth Congress, that a large number of primary-school-age children are not in school today because of lack of facilities; that in many States the length of the school year has been reduced drastically because of lack of public funds; that only one-third of the students who enter secondary schools are able to finish their course there. We discover also that Negro young people have even less opportunity for education, particularly in those States where separate schools are maintained. If, therefore, the principle of universal, free public education is to be achieved, a larger appropriation will be necessary. It is appropriate at this time that special efforts be made to give young people increased educational opportunities. Despite the promises of employment as a result of the so-called war boom, there are still some 4,000,000 young people unemployed and out of school. Since the nation has been plunged into a war economy, State and local school budgets are being cut down instead of being increased to meet the obvious need. The Congress, through passage of S.1313, can do much to improve the welfare of young people and increase their usefulness as citizens by providing additional educational facilities. The American Youth Congress urges that this bill be passed. Respectfully yours, JOSEPH CADDEN, ASSOCIATION FOR CHILDHOOD EDUCATION, The Honorable ELBERT D. THOMAS, Senate Office Building, Washington, D. C. SIR: Thirty-five thousand five hundred teachers of young children, representing every State in the Union are members of the Association for Childhood Education. Thirty-two thousand of these are united in 473 study groups whose purpose is to encourage improved educational opportunities for children through service to both teachers and children. On the part of members there is increasing concern for those children in our country who do not have adequate educational opportunities. The elementary school is the only agency that attempts to help every citizen at the most formative period of his entire life. Yet in many places the educational opportunities offered are meager and inadequate and the 1940 White House Conference on Children in a Democracy reported that nearly a million children of elementary school age are not in school. We believe that public education, if supported only on a State-wide basis, must necessarily reflect inequalities in natural wealth and taxable resources. We know that a child with the minimum education granted by a State with little taxable wealth often becomes the poorly prepared citizen of a State rich alike in natural resources and educational opportunities. The attention of the whole world is turned to defense. Those of us concerned with the welfare of children see as the strongest defense of any Nation the human resources which must be safeguarded at all times. It is the belief of members of this association that the passage of bill S. 1313 would be a step toward equalizing educational opportunities and toward securing a more enlightened citizenry. We therefore respectfully request that as a member of the United States Senate Committee on Education and Labor you give serious and favorable consideration to this bill. DEAR MR. THOMAS: I acknowledge your letter of April 28 with respect to S. 1313. Unfortunately, our association was tied up with conferences all last week, which prevented a direct appearance during the hearings. For your information, however, I am attaching hereto the action taken by our association, which, if not too late, we would like to have made a part of the record. Yours very truly, J. G. LUHRSEN, Executive Secretary. To the Senate Committee on Education and Labor; At a meeting of our association convened on Wednesday, April 30, 1941, S. 1313 providing for strengthening national defense and promoting the general welfare through the appropriation of funds to assist the States and Territories in meeting financial emergencies in education and reducing inequalities in educational opportunities was considered. The Railway Labor Executives' Association unanimously approved this legislation, believing that proper education is essentially necessary, if the future posterity of our Nation is to be protected by intelligence and character building, by providing ample and proper schooling facilities. It is our opinion that even though we are not confronted with centralization and other means which might tend to depreciate our educational program, legislation such as intended to be accomplished by this bill is, nevertheless, necessary and particularly in such regions as where proper schools have been neglected, resulting in a greater prevalence of illiteracy. Any increased taxation for such a worthy cause as sponsored in S. 1313 is justified if this great Nation of ours is to move forward and continue as a great democracy. Our association, therefore, unanimously adopted the following motion in support of S. 1313: MOTION: That the Railway Labor Executives' Association approve and unanimously endorse S. 1313 having for its purpose to promote the general welfare by affording educational opportunities through Government aid as provided in S. 1313. Hon. ELBERT D. THOMAS, RAILWAY LABOR EXECUTIVES' ASSOCIATION, Education and Labor Committee, Washington, D. C., May 19, 1941. Capitol Building, Washington, D. C. DEAR SENATOR THOMAS: Last year our association endorsed S. 1305, a bill to promote more effective education. That bill specifically limited the maximum appropriation to end June 30, 1945. This year the undersigned as Secretary of the Association brought to their attention S. 1313 introduced by yourself, recommending its endorsement. While our association previously approved and is still sympathetic toward an educational program to help wipe out much of the present prevailing illiteracy, considerable objection directed itself to the appropriation of $300,000,000 a year and specifically to the language "and for each fiscal year thereafter" without any limitations whatsoever. It appeals to the undersigned, and I believe I speak the views of the members of our association, that some limitation should again be placed in the bill ending such authorized appropriation, for example, 1945 or 1946, and if during the period of such appropriation essential progressive results have been made, there is little doubt but what further extensions can be made by the introduction of legislation which may continue it for another period of years. Our association has and is supporting legislation outlawing poll taxes where they maintain, and we find that the preponderant illiteracy generally maintains in such States as where the poll tax is still in existence. It is therefore, apparent that the educational needs are much greater in the States where illiteracy predominates, and it certainly isn't a healthy condition when the percentage of the potential voters who cast their ballots in the 1940 presidential election was 21.1 in the eight poll-tax States as against the 40 non-polltax States, 70.59 percent. From this we must conclude that certain tax laws in the several States interfere with the promotion of education and if removed no doubt the $300,000,000 appropriation per year would also be substantially reduced. Our association in general, however, approves and endorses better education with certain restrictions as indicated, i. e., limiting the period and based on the results after a few years' experience, it then could be more convincing as to the continuance of future appropriations. Very truly yours, J. G. LUHRSEN, DEPARTMENT OF CLASSROOM TEACHERS, Senator THOMAS of Utah, DEAR SENATOR THOMAS: During the recent hearings before the Senate Committee on Education and Labor, there were two classroom teachers from North Carolina attentively listening to the testimony presented by witnesses favoring and opposing Senate bill 1313. Mrs. W. R. McDonald of Hickory, president of the department of classroom teachers of the North Carolina Education Association, and I, field secretary for the department, noted that there were no classroom teachers testifying. We spoke to you at the conclusion of the hearings and you asked us if we would like to file a statement for the Record. At that time we were unprepared to do so. If the enclosed statement is acceptable we should like to have it included in the records. The teachers of North Carolina are delighted to know that the important question of Federal aid to education is in the hands of such a capable and interested leader. We send to you and your committee our deepest appreciation for your efforts and interest. We are attempting to crystallize public opinion in favor of this bill, and we feel that the classroom teachers, through their public relations programs, will be able to do much in this line. Very sincerely yours, MARY LANGSTON, Field Secretary. STATEMENT SUBMITTED BY MARY LANGSTON, FIELD SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF CLASSROOM TEACHERS, NORTH CAROLINA EDUCATION ASSOCIATION Mr. Chairman, members of the Committee on Education and Labor, I have listened with much interest and concern to the facts and statistics presented at the committee hearings on Senate bill 1313, providing for Federal assistance to the States for public education. I believe that I am correct in stating that all testimony has been given by representatives of tax leagues, school administrators, church leagues, and organizations for racial equality. I hope that this committee will not assume that a mere classroom teacher representative is presumptous in attempting to state the views of classroom teachers concerning this very important problem. I would even go further and say that perhaps the testimony of students now enrolled in public schools in different sections of our country might be helpful, for sometimes from the least of us come words of wisdom. The term "poorer States" has been used repeatedly in discussion of this bill. If the term "poorer States" applies to those States having the lowest per capita wealth, the lowest income, the lowest taxpaying ability, and the greater relative number of children to educate, I will say that I am a classroom teacher in one of the "poorer States". However, if our wealth were measured in terms of our efforts and willingness to provide equal opportunities for education, in terms of our production of the Nation's future increase in population, in terms of our contributions of labor and raw materials to the richer industrial States, I will say emphatically that I am a teacher in one of the richer States. Often our sense of values becomes a little unbalanced and we forget that our independence comes through our interdependence. During this great national crisis which we are all experiencing, is there not a danger that we will overlook some of the fundamental bulwarks of our democracy? Is not education itself one of the greatest lines of national defense? How can we preserve our democracy by failing to provide equal opportunities to the future citizenry of our nation? We heartily approve all material defense which can protect our form of government, but we earnestly believe that this material defense goes hand-in-hand with the defense which comes through the love of, and actual experience with democracy. We cannot afford to practice false economy. We must think of the future costs in terms of the effect upon the leaders of tomorrow. The "poorer States" are asking no charity for the children within their boundaries. They are asking that the Congress of the United States insure the equal opportunities which are the inherent right of every individual. Just as "no chain is stronger than its weakest link", so, no nation can neglect its poorest State. The "poorer States" are doing more in proportion to their income than the wealthier States, but the best that they can do is still far below the national average in every phase. If the less-able-to-provide States were surrounded by the Wall of China, and kept isolated, perhaps the educational opportunities would |