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Church gives these black children and the Puerto-Rican children the opportunity to come. They subsidize them and make a very special effort. So the attacks made on the parochial school system are just an outrage in my judgment. I happen to be very supportive of providing funding for parochial and private schools. That's not a liberal, accepted doctrine; but four or five years ago I cook that position, and it's contrary to my earlier position. Why shouldn't children who go to parochial and private schools receive assistance? The rich do it, don't they? I mean the rich go. The people that they don't want to get assistance for that are the poor, so you'll keep the poor white Irish and Italian kids in the public school because they can't afford the parochial school, while the rich kid will be going to private school.

I once had five women come to see me from a national Jewish women's group in Washington -- very nice ladies -- and they said, “We want to know your position,” and they went through the usual litany of causes. Abortion? “Oh, yes, don't worry about it. I'm for abortion.” I can't even remember all the others. Then they came to; “And of course you're opposed to aid for parochial schools?” “Oh,” I said, “no, I'm not. I believe in aid for parochial schools.” “How can you say that, Congressman?” I said, “Listen, every one of you has a husband that's making about $25,000 minimum, and tell me where your kids are? You -- where's your kid?” At some private school. Every one of them except one who had a kid that was an adult already. And two of the five had their kids in Protestant schools. One was in