The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-06-03
Richie FLAYS
'MUZZLE' USE
ON GOVERNORS
Maryland Executive Comes
Out Into Open on lob
Crisis, Prohibition.
BACKS PINCH0T STAND
Power Speech Is Declared
Appropriate Topic for
Convention.
Continued from Page One

ton Is prohibition. If this question
has dynamite in it, is not this be-
cause the country endeavors to en-
force temperance by a standard and
uniform rule, instead of by consid-
ering the diversified conditions of
our diversified land and respecting
the needs and the problems of the
different states?
If the question of prohibition is
turned back to the states, then a
system OF excise taxes again may be
built UP which might do away with
our federal income taxes altogether,
and at one stroke relieve capital,
labor, and agriculture from the tax
burdens which rest so heavily upon
them.
rs not a question which SO pro-
foundly affects every state in the
Union one which the Governors Of
these states should debate?
Where, indeed, could we secure
better evidence of how this great
national experiment actually is
working than from the Governors Of
the states?
Tariff Affects All
There is not state whose people
are not affected by the national
tariff. Better than any one else,
the Governors ought to know how
they are affected. If irreconcilable
differences exist as to what measure
of protection American industry
needs, is that any reason why we
should not consider whether it is
desirable to erect a tariff wall so
high as to destroy our export trade,
when that is the only outlet for our
surplus Of goods and produce, and
to invite repricals from other ma
tions whose trade we need and
whose international friendship and
goodwill we ought to have?
THE press has specialized
whether Governor Pinchot would
speak on the timber problem to
which he was assigned, or on public
utilities, to which he was not. Is
there any imaginable reason why
he should not have spoken on pub
lie utilitiesP
This is something which has be-
come vital issue in great many
Of the states, and what could be
more appropriate than for the Gov
ernors to discuss it, when their peo-
pie are so seriously concerned in it?"
CavIGoI1 10 noca,--n
Governor Henry S. Caulheld of
Missouri took up the cudgels for the
executive committeeman who COM
piled the printed program. He de-
clared tariff and prohibition federal
questions and out of place at Gov
ernors' conference.
Experience has taught us that 1t
is best not to turn these meetings
into a debating society,"" Caulf1eld
declared I'VE do not want to be-
come mere sounding board for
wind and bluff"
The Pinchot paper he termed ap-
prcpriate, however, and then pro-
ceeded to disagree with the Penn
sylvania Governors conclusions re-
garding federal power control.
II agree that the power monopoly
well may concern the American peo-
pie" Caulfleld continued, "but I do
not agree with Governor Pinchot's
plan to substitute national for state
control. 1t is the federal courts
that are to blame now for the high
utility rates.
TT was in the federal court that
the. utilities built their doctrine OF
replacement now deprecated as the
base for rate making.
If the federal courts leave us
alone, we can handle our own util-
ity regulation through the public
service commission"
Cites Danger to Public
He then cited the danger to rate
payers OF remote control and made
a stirring plea for adherence to the
doctrine of state rights.
Later Pinchot answered this by
declaring that the states right argu-
nlent is being used by big utility in
terest to keep away from national
regulation. we'll knowing that the
state is not big enough to handle
them.
Public ownership of power and all
transmission lines was urged by
Governor Floyd B. Olson of Mime
sofa, as the ultimate solution of the
problem. He is the only Farmer
Labor Governor at the meeting.
He praised Ritchie for suggesting
that in the future controversial
topics be dealt with and suggested
such topics as employment insur-
ance. government ownership, and
price control.
Our outstanding problem now is
where We can eat and how long are
we going to be able to do it." Gov
ernor Olson declared.
Leslie Pours Out Oil
At this juncture, Governor Harry
G. Leslie. host to the conference,
poured oil on the waters by prais-
ing both the executive committees
program and those who deviated
from it.
He pointed out that since the
Governors are OF various political
faiths, they must make their pro-
grams to meet common problems.
The trouble is that we have so
many politicians and too few states
men, Leslie said, If we are long
on pleasantries and short on in
testinal fortitude. After all, the
public gets what it wants, but not
always when it wants It,"
Governor Leslie will preside at
the state dinner at French Lick
Springs hotel tonight, which is the
final event on the Official confer
ence program.
Trip to the Bloomington Bedford
district got under way at 1890
a. m. and the return is scheduled
for 4:30. Luncheon is to be served
on the train.