Not Yet

The debate had been so heated that Congressman Tom Steed of Oklahoma finally threw up his hands in disgust. "The chairman cannot preside over a riot," said he. For 19 days behind closed doors, the House Education and Labor Committee had wrangled, but it was still getting nowhere on the Senate-approved federal aid-to-education bill.

The issue causing all the trouble: whether federal funds should go to private and parochial as well as public schools. Roman Catholic spokesmen were plumping for a definite commitment to parochial schools. Their opponents wanted all private schools barred. The Senate bill, which left the matter up to each state, seemed to satisfy nobody on the committee.

Last week the committee swiveled on dead center. One day, by a vote of 13 to 12, it killed the House version of the Senate bill. Next day, by a vote of 13 to 12, it agreed to consider a $300 million House bill for teachers' salaries. Another $600 million bill for school construction was to be studied by a subcommittee. Did that mean that U.S. schools were going to get federal aid after all? Since the parochial schools had not asked for salary or construction money, some Congressmen thought the new proposals might have a chance. But veteran committee members were skeptical. Said one: "Any aid bill is done for this year--finished."

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