Show Uncle Sam May i Get New v Burden Hard to Handle By BRUCE CATTON The next session of congress congre will probably be asked to vote something like ike for tor the relief relict of at the nations nation's public schools and when hen the question comes up for tor debate we are likely to get a look at one of the most critical phases of ot the entire depre depression sion In Iii a way the whole business busine Is a sample of ot what happens when an m Irresistible Irresistible irresistible irre Irre- force meets an immovable ob- ob j cd The irresistible force torce is the schools' schools need for money money money-a a need that simply must be met The immovable object is Ls the fact tact that thousands of ot cities and counties counti simply haven't g got t the money and cant can't possibly get it In consequence consequence conse conse- quence the tho problem becomes one atthe of at the great number that is being tossed on the receptive lap of Uncle Sam Superintendent Charles A A. A Lee of Missouri head of a committee of education education edu edu- cation officials appointed to present the he schools' schools case to congress lists a afew afew few tew of the ways in which the depres depres- zion sion h has crippled the schools This year will see fewer teachers teach teach- ers on the Job ob in America than were employed last year although year although the theN theN N 1 R A has released released-at least boys and girls of at school age for tor further further fur fur- ther lher study Teachers' Teachers pay has been reduced on the average by 2 20 per cent In some regions tho cuts are as high as 60 per cent Half of all the teachers will get less than WO for their years year's work Some are actually getting less than 35 a month the month the day labor wage in N R A codes In many localities schools will willbe willbe willbe be in session sion for only three or four months Many high schools have had hado to o go So on ona a tui tuition on basis which means that hat thousands of ot youngsters wont won't get they are entitled to On the other hand there is not a city nor a county in America that is not for money Tax revenues have fallen off oU both because of ot the depression depression depres depres- sion sian and because of antiquated tax sye- sye tens lems Furthermore we are arc beginning to hear icar a wave of ot propaganda in Ia favor of still sUll further c economy onomy in the schools propaganda backed for for- forthe the most part by wealthy individuals who have havear tar far ar less reason for complaining about school expenditures than the ordinary middle class citizen who pays pas his taxes a whimper It is a critical situation The school system is In the process of collapsing and it is supremely Important that the collapse be averted If no rio one but Uncle Sam can do it it looks very much as if It he would have to dig down downin in in his pocket for whatever funds may maybe maybe maybe be needed |