"No Help Wanted"

Strongest opposition was expressed last week by America's most prominent educators to the Sterling-Reed Bill, which would create a Federal Department of Education under a new cabinet officer, would give federal aid to local schools, and, in general, would increase federal control of education.

Administrative objections were made by President Goodnow of Johns Hopkins. Constitutional objections were made by two Baltimore lawyers--W. L. Marbury, W. F. Rawls.

Letters from many college presidents were put into the record of the House Committee now considering the bill.

Wrote President Lowell of Harvard:

"There is substantially no part of the country today, that cannot afford such elementary and secondary education, as it really desires; and to give Federal subventions to any part of the country to support education which it does not really desire would seem to be not only wasteful, but demoralizing. The plan of a department of education, alone with a member of the Cabinet at its head, would seem to me to be throwing education in politics. The place would almost inevitably be given to a politician not large enough in calibre for one of the greater offices."

Wrote Dr. Harry Pratt Judson, President Emeritus of the University of Chicago: "The existing bureau may have added powers without detriment, its function of gathering and distributing educational information may be made more effective--but I earnestly hope that no bill will pass which distributes more Federal funds for State functions. What the country needs is less taxes rather than more expenses."