The ever-widening popular discussion of Federal subsidization of state-controlled education inevitably revolves about the issue regarded as most crucial: the possibility of control accompanying Federal aid. Opponents of such subsidization point to the unavoidable and, they imply, intolerable centralized control of education that would follow. Advocates of such aid, on the other hand, generally take the tack that Federal control is not at all inevitable, and, in fact, is most unlikely because of our governmental nature and history. Left unclarified and largely untouched are the questions: would Federal control of education really be harmful; is there anything good to be said for it?

Washington has never seriously attempted to infringe upon state control of the schools as delegated in the Constitution. Our country's huge size with its myriads of local attitudes and problems made it clearly advisable to leave education to those able to adapt it to the needs at hand. Today, however, the problem is not quite so simple. As the Nation has grown, education on all levels has become a highly complex and expensive process with a need to fit specialization of instruction to masses of students.

Side by side with this development has come the increased importance of education as an all-pervading factor, in national life. Modern communications and transportation have made the flow of public opinion and people both simple and vital. No longer can it be held that the level and quality of education in Texas has no effect upon life in Oregon or Connecticut. In short, state-operated education now plays an ever-expanding role in the country's existence.

In the light of the recognized deficiencies in our schools, the remedy of which calls for some Federal financial aid, would some measure of Federal direction or control of the recipients of its aid be a good thing? On a broad policy level, should Washington have some practical voice in the aims and methods of the school systems which are so vital to the Nation's well-being? A quick yes-or-no answer to these questions is impossible. Their implications are too broad. What is clear, however, is that more widespread consideration of the possible merits and drawbacks of some Federal control of education is needed if an intelligent policy is to be developed.