Anti-Subversive Bills Fail to Pass In Three States

Legislation aimed at controlling subversive teachers and doctrines in he schools of Massachusetts, Illinois, and Florida has either been killed this past year or rests in committee.

In Massachusetts, bills similar to the Barnes bills of 1948 and the Sullivan bills of 1949 have been channeled to the Committee on Joint Rules. House bill 161 asks creation of a special commission to investigate the infiltration of Communism into the Common wealth's educational system. House bill 1613 would instruct college presidents to expel Communists or Communist sympathizers. There is some possibility that the latter bill might yet be passed.

In Illinois, State Senator Paul Broyles' commission, after probing possible activities of subversive influences on the University of Chicago and Roosevelt College campuses, came up with five pieces of legislation aimed at controlling such influences. All of the bills, as well as the Broyles' commission were killed.

Similarly, in Florida, a questionnaire sent out by the state House Communism Investigating Committee to all teachers in state supported colleges, inquiring about their political affiliations and their views on segregation, produced heat on all sides, but no legislation.