Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1937-11-14
MAYORS CONVENE
HERE TOMORROW
Relief, Housing, Airport and
Labor Problems to Be
Discussed.

UiSCESScu.
Mayors and their aides from Isl
cities will gather here tomorrow
few hours before Congress convenes-
to discuss relief and other problem,
they share with the Federal Govern
ment.
At the annual United States Con-
ference of Mayors. 400 officials repre-
senting nearly third of the Ma
tons population, will take up:
l. The relief problem of the
coming year.
2. Low-rent housing projects
under the 1926, 000. 900 program of
theNUnited States Housing Author
ity.
3. The role OF Government in
industrial disputes.
4. Municipal airports.
Cooperation between the Fedora
Government and the cities has marked
recent developments in each Of these
fields.
Relief Cost Division.
The question of how relief cost.
should be divided between the Fed
eral and city governments may come
before the meeting. Senator Byrnes
Democrat, of South Carolina has
disclosed that he has been studying
the ability" of cities. counties and
States to stand a larger share of the
cost of Works Progress Administration
activities.
Harry Hopkins. w. P. A. admins
traitor, will discuss the general relief
situation. Mr.. Hopkins, whose aides
are now surveying the number of en-
playable needy. has announced a de-
termination to keep Federal work
relief costs within the $500, 600, 900
budget provided by Congress, although
the mayors advocated last spring that
$4,000, 100000 be provided for this
year.
Conference officials said that. while
the mayors had hoped that increased
employment in industry would absorb
most of the relief clients, many mu-
inequalities now are facing "a serious
relief problem"
New Housing Projects.
Nathan Strsus, the New York bust
ness man who administers the new
low-cost housing and slum- clearance
program. will tell the Mayors that
cities must take the initiative in new
housing projects.
Mr.. Straus says more cities must
set up housing authorities If the Fed
eral program is to be effective. Only
about so cities have such agencies.
Under the law. Mr.. Straus has power
to grant Federal loans to cities to re-
place slums with better living quar-
tiers for low-income families.
The Mayors will seek a solution for
the vexacious problem Of handling
industrial disputes" with the aid OF
Chairman J. Warren Madden of the
National Labor Relations Board. They
Will study what States may do in q
report on the newly established New
York State Labor Relations Board
Mayor Cornelius D. Scully of Pitts
burgh will talk on the citys role.
Detroit, Lansing. Youngstown ano
many other cities faced serious labor
disputes during the recent wave OF
! strikes.
The conference will seek a nationa
approach to the problem of keeping
airports abreast of -airliner de-
velopment. Officials said cities in al
sections of the country ARE finding
1t impossible to keep their airports
abreast of current needs" The Nav.
ors argue that airport construction is
part of a national problem because
most travel is across State lines.
The opening session, at 10 am. to-
morrow in the Mayflower Hotel. will
be featured by the presidential ad-
dress Of New York's Mayor Fiorello
H. La Guardia, who heads the Or
ganization of mayors.
Mayor La Guardia, recently re-
elected by landslide vote. has pre-
dicted that the present conference
probably will be the most important
in the history of municipal co-opera-
ton, due to the problems to be con-
sidered"
The conference will be called to
order by Mayor Daniel w. Hoan of
Milwaukee, a past president. Fol-
lowing Mayor La Guardias address,
the report Of the executive director
will be read. John D. Biggers, ad-
ministrator of the national unem-
ployment census, will discuss that
project. Mayor Antonio Beruff Men
dieta of Havana, Cuba, will speak on
The First Pan-American Congress
Of Municipalities.
DR.. Parron to Speak.
At the luncheon session tomorrow
at which Frederick w. Mansfield,
mayor of Boston, will preside. DR.
Thomas Parran. surgeon general of
the Public Health Service, will speak
on THE Cities and the War Against
Social Disease"
The municipal airport problem will
be discussed at the afternoon session,
starting at 2:30 o'clock. Speeches
are scheduled by Col. J. M. johnson
Assistant Secretary of Commerce
Harllee Branch, Second Assistant
Postmaster General; Mayor Frank
Couzens Of Detroit and Mayor r. E.
Allen OF Augusta, Ga. Mayor Meyer
c. Ellenstein of Newark will preside
and general discussion will be led
by Mayor Joseph K. Carson, jr., of
Portland, Greg.
During the conference. which will
last until Wednesday night, Thomas
E. Dewey, recently elected district
attorney of New York City, will speak
on "Outlawing the Rackets in the
Cities"