BILL FIELD CALLING FOR REPEAL OF OATH LAW

Calling for the repeal of the Teacher's Oath Law, Representative Clarence S. Luitwieler (Republican) of Newton, yesterday filed a bill at Capital Hill to do away with compulsory subscription to the constitution on the part of Massachusetts teachers.

Political commentators consider that the new bill calling for repeal will have a good chance of being passed next January when the General Court will convene. Many of the oath law's more ardent backers, including its author, ex-representative Thomas Dorgan, were not returned to the house in the last election.

Teacher's Union

Pressure brought to bear by an alliance of organized teacher's units and various Labor Union groups throughout the state was responsible for the defeat of the oath bill faction, while today a "united front" of faculty members and organized labor looms to back or oppose any legislation affecting their interests.

Filed as a bill to be presented before the legislature the issue will hang fire until the General Court next convenes on January 1. Opposed to the organized teachers units and the Labor Unions, who are supported by numerous church organizations and women's club groups, stands the Hearst papers, the D.A.R., and the Veterans of Foreign Wars, who supported the law in 1935 when it was hotly contested as a bill before the court. The strength of the oath law supporters suffered greatly when the American Legion voted at its June convention this year to withdraw its sponsorship of the bill.

Originally passed by a vote of 130 to 94, and attempt to repeal the law in the last session was voted down 133 to 88.

It will in all probability be quite a different story in the coming session, though, as some 61 backers of the bill were not re-elected to the General Court this November. Eight out of nine Democrats upon whom the Teacher's Union directs their heaviest are were defeated.