Sponsors Claim College Aid Will Pass

Sponsors of the Administration's college aid bill believe the bill will definitely be passed by Congress this year unless the civil rights debate in the Senate interferes. The measure is a major part of President Kennedy's program.

A spokesman for Sen. Wayne Morse (D-Ore.), chairman of the Senate Education Subcommittee, said yesterday that "we expect no trouble at all" in passing the bill once it reaches the floor. But the bill may have to wait until next year if the Senate becomes embroiled in a lengthy debate over civil rights before college aid can be taken up.

The college aid bill was approved Tuesday by the Senate Committee on Labor and Public Welfare. In all, the Committee approved four education measures Tuesday in a burst of energy that an awed Sen. Morse termed "almost a miracle." The other three measures dealt with vocational education and aid for junior colleges.

The passage of the college aid bill came as a special surprise since Morse's Education Subcommittee had not yet held bearings on the bill. The House passed a similar bill last month.

The measure would provide $1.5 billion over the next five years for construction of college classrooms at four-year colleges, $500 million of the money will be in outright grants, the rest in low-interest loans.

Last year both houses passed college aid bills, but while the House version provided only funds for construction, the Senate's included a provision for loans to needy students. A conference committee compromise calling for a large construction program and a small student loan fund was defeated in the House.

Earlier this year Congress passed President Kennedy's bill to aid Medical Schools.