New-York tribune., 1919-03-06
Cox Rejects Rolfc Rcsolu-
ton Asking Extra Session,
CriticisingS ShippingB Board
Houston Quits in a Huff
Officials Adjourn Displeased
After Exciting Session;
Speakers Are Ignored
By Theodore M. Knappen
Ncrc York Tribune
WushinOtou Bureau

Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON, March 5.-Continu-
ing in the saddle to-day, the Mayors
dominated the Governors and Mayors
reconstruction conference, told two Of
the prepared programme speakers that
they could have got along without their
efforts caused Secretary of Agriculture
Houston to leave the meeting in huff,
taking his speech with him; skipped
two other state speakers absolutely,
fought viciously over the lengthy reso-
lutions and adjourned dispieased and
generally disgruntled.
Though plainly disgustcd with the
failure of the President and Congress
. TO put through constructive legislation,
. the Mayors adjourned without saying
81, DESPITE the strong endeavors of
- Navor Rolph of San Francisco to place
'ethc responsibility on the national gov
. ernment Governor Cox OF Ohio, as
chairman Of the resolutions committee,
nut his foot on the Rolph resolutions.
The San Francisco Mayor could not
shake it off.
Mayor Rolfc's resolutions asked the
President to convene Congress in an
extra session and keep it on the job
tli it passed appropriation bills and
ether needed legislation that would en-
able the national government and pri-
vate capital to become active in vari-
Gus ways that, would promote business
activity and provide employment, CON
demned the Shipping Board for its "un-
patriotic policy" of cancelling contracts
j with American yards for $50 ships
while continuing contracts with Jap
anes and Chinese yards. and COM
mended the policy of collective bar
gaining as the solution of difference be-
- tween capital and labor
Governor Cox Explains
When the resolutions committee re-
ported, Governor Cox explained that the
Rolfe resolutions had been discarded
because they related to controversial
matters. The Governor looked hard at
Mayor Rolfc as he remarked that if
anybody wanted q detailed explanation
F. he would get it. In making his cx-
planation later the Governor intimatcd
tine Mayor was trying to throw a brick
at the President.
Nothing of the kind" answered the
Mayor. He went on to say that there
was nothing political in his resolutions
ana that they were in line with Sec
Iva y LANE = appear 10 mem DorS OF the
conference to use their power to get
Congress to do the things that ought
TO be done.
There were talks by John Hays Ham
mond, Secretary of Commerce Rcdfeld
Director General of Railways Hines
Eugene I. Meyer, jr., chairman Of the
war Finance Corporation; Elwood
Mead, of the reclamation service, and
Secretary Lane. The latter's address
on his Americanizaton and land recla-
matlon made a good impression with
MS account of what the Administration
wanted to do. but Congress did not do
Aier lively controversy Mayor
creamer, of Lynn, Mass, succeeded in
getting adopted without opposition q
somewhat sterilized single tax rcsolu-
,'cn aimed at the releasing Of unused
lands and other natural resources.
mayor Hean. the Socialist Mayor oe
milwaukee, supported by some mayors.
ike HARDER, OF Kansas City. who were
anything but Socialists. failed in their
Efforts TO eliminate the declaration in
IaVor OF the continued efforts Of the
Federal government with the view of
sVerting serious consequences in the
Hnanciai affairs OF public utilities"
resolution offered by Mayor Carl