Barnes Hearing Finds Educators Undecided

Massachusetts educators adopted a "wait and see" attitude last night as the General Court's Committee on Education prepared to consider modifications and substitutes for the Barnes Bill.

The Committee will hold an executive session today in which it will discuss the Barnes Bill and proposals to amend the present Sedition and Teachers Oath Laws.

But while University Hall and Wellesley officials were waiting to see what would be tossed into the legislative hoper before taking officials stands, the compromise suggestions had already succeeded in driving a wedge into the previously united front of college presidents opposing "anti-Red" legislation.

Marsh's Stand

The dissident was President Daniel Marsh of Boston University, who commented on the proposed amendment to the Sedition Law, "At the moment it doesn't sound bad; if a man's been proven to be a traitor, you don't want him teaching, do you?"

All of the compromises would remove educational institutions from threats of penalties and tighten up the conditions under which instructors would be penalized. Under the original Barnes Bill, employment of those adhering to Communist principles even in non-teaching positions constituted a violation.

At a previous hearing for the bill President Conant and representatives from the Colleges and Radcliffe student councils spoke against the measure.