In a vigorous plea for federal aid to education, President Conant last night stated over CBS that "citizens must rally to the support of public education if they wish to maintain the spirit of democracy."

President Conant said that students of superior ability need the chance for a higher education while another program ought to be developed to keep up the interest of mediocre students. The progress achieved in education in the last century, Conant continued, has been due chiefly, to the expansion of equality of opportunity.

General education for democratic living is becoming more and more necessary to the American way of life, Conant added. Appraisal of education is important on the part of each individual citizen, he said.