Evening star., 1925-07-04

OF our Constitution, yet need TO be
uniformly dealt with by State Legis-
latures and executives?
Among the topics discussed, con-
Slderation has been given to the ques-
ton OF uniform laws on marriage and
divorce, and on child labor.
1t is related that in the earlier con
ferences OF governors Southern gov
ernors became natiOnalists in regard
20 the need of improvement Of water
ways, and Fasteners urged a bill
then pending in Congress for the crea-
ton OF Appalachian and White Noun
tain forest reserves
In the first conference President
Roosevelt pointed out the far-reaching
interstate effect of a decision Just then
given by the Maine Supreme Court.
upholding the right of a a=IsegisIature
TO restrict the cutting of trees upon
private property without compensa-
ton to the owner, if the motive for
the restriction was to preserve rivers
and maintain general climatic condi-
tions. An analogous decision was also
given by the United States Supreme
Court, under which the right of a
State was upheld 10 prevent oil or gas
being piped out of the State at the loss
by the original State.
AT lhe lfst conferences, out OF As
States, there came not less than as
governors, and the absentees apol-
ogized for being prevented by sickness
or urgent State obligations. No par
tisan politics was intruded into the
discussions, until Gov. Blease of South
Carolina made a speech upholding
lynching of negroes provided the
right man was lynched." BY a resolu-
tion adopted by IA to the Blease
speech was rebuked.
BY 1913 attendance had dropped so
that out of 4S governors only 25 were
present, and freak projects were in
troduced. The debates aimed to force
the Federal Government to take ac
tion, rather than assume responsi-
bility in the States, even in such as
were most jealous of State rights.
Gov. Hunt of Arizona proposed an
amendment to the constitutions of the
States abolishing all State Legisla-
lures and conducting State administra-
ton through the governor and his
cabinet" after the manner of a
limited monarchy without a Parlia-
ment. The House of Governors became
a debating club interested in theories
OF government, rather than in actual
living problems of interstate CO.
operation, and the press. generally,
'neered at "a tottering House of Gov
srnors." The action of the governors
was never received with enthusiasm
by the Senators and Representatives
who were jealous of their own status
as spokesmen of their States in gen
eral or Federal interests.
In 1911 the House of Governors met
in New Jersey instead of Washing
ton, and Gov. Woodrow Wilson well
coined the fellow governors with, "The
vitality of this conference lies in the
fact that it has released itself from
Federal guidance When President
Woodrow Wilson refrained from call
ing the conference to the White
House, after he became head of the
Federal Government, he saw that the
vitality" was still freed from Fed
eral guidance.
Not since 1911 has the House of
Governors taken its responsibilities Sc
riously. This year a score of State
executives gathered in Maine, where
some took trips in airplanes, and all.
with the ladies of their families, were
taken around the State to view the
great potato fields and other Maine re
sources. The sessions were marked
only by a debate between United
States Budget Director Lord and Gov.
AL Smith of New York as to whether
the Republican President has saved as
much needless expense as has the
able Governor of New York, for, like
the pyramids of Egypt, looking down
through centuries upon Napoleon's
forces. SO the governors realized that
the eyes of all the Maine potatoes
were upon them in their solemn con-
claVA