Evening star., 1935-03-02
INTERSTATE GROUP
| ASKS j. s. GIVE Up
GAS TAX BY JULY
REIMBURSEMENT of All Claims
Recommended for States
Benefit.
0THER RESOLUTIONS
| ARE TO Be VOTED ON
Belknap Tells Assembly Sweep
ing Reforms Are Necessary to
Business Restoration.

A recommendation that the Fed
eral Government relinquish all claims
to the gasoline tax not later than
June 80 of this year so States may
benefit more from this form of taxa
ton was contained in a resolution
passed today by the Second Interstate
Assembly at the Mayf1ower Hotel.
The recommendations in the resolu-
ton also would remove the restric-
tions on diversion OF gasoline taxes
to other uses.
Delegates to the assembly, most Of
them members of the legislatures of
their respective States, today were to
vote on other resolutions eftecting
various changes in conflicting State
regulations in order to, bring about
greater cooperation and co-ordina-
ton in interstate affairs. These reso-
lutions deal with the problems of
crime prevention, health, sanitation,
social security and taxes.
Sweeping Reforms Vital.
State governments are on the verge
of breaking up and the Federal Gov
eminent has become so overburdened
that sweeping reforms must be
brought about in several phases of
the administrative and legislative
branches before the country can hope
to return to a normal trend Of busi-
ness. William K Belknap. president
of the American Legislators Associa-
ton, told the Assembly.
Belknap said the Assembly should
hold its meetings once eacn year in
stead of the present policy of meet
ing every two years. He said the
growing necessity for reform should
spur the State legislators to prompt
action.
This meeting comes at time when
it is most needed" Belknap said. The
world is in a state of chaos, State
governments are near the cracking
point, and the Federal Government is
overburdened beyond belief. We must
adapt our Government to the cataclys-
mic changes in our civilization"
Plans Regional Bureaus.
In an effort to bring the States to-
gether under regional compacts,
which would make uniform the widely
conflicting laws relating to crime.
health, sanitation. marriage and
divorce and taxation, the Council OF
State Governments plans to establish
regional bureaus in all parts OF the
country to act as clearing houses
where the problems of State govern
ments can be ironed out. This an
nouncement was made yesterday by
Eonru WI porRnnnn nj
Massachusetts,, who is attending the
assembly.
Senator Parkman pointed out that
many inequalities and injustices oc-
cur through conflicts in State laws.
He called especial attention to those
laws affecting taxation, crime pre-
vention and interstate transporta-
ton.
The New York Port Authority was
cited by j. H. Thayer Martin OF New
Jersey as an example of successful
cooperation between States. Set
up as a governmental agency. under
a treaty between New York and New
Jersey approved by an act OF Congress,
the Port Authority. Martin said, has
proved highly efficient.
THE use of compact agreement on
the eXtradition laws between States"
said State Senator Henry w. Parkman
of Massachusetts,. lis vital to the con-
troll of crime. We have got to get
extradition laws agreed upon by the
States
Police Work Cooperation.
In New England. Parkman said.
progress has been made toward CO.
operation in police work, through use
of the teletype system. But great in
equalities exist in labor laws in the
States, he added
In the field of motor vehicle, bus
and truck regulation" he added. "the
most ridiculous situations occur. The
recent decision of the Supreme Court
in the oil cases has forced upon the
oil States the necessity of using the
compact clause of the Constitution for
the very preservation of our great
underground natural resources.
The compact is particularly
adapted to regional use"