Evening star., 1946-12-04
Strikes Against Cite,
Called an Attack
On Peoples Rights

pal Law Ofiicers today characterized
strikes against municipal govern
ments as legally unauthorized" and
as constituting an "unwarranted de-
flahce Of the sovereign authority Of
government"
A resolution to this effect was
adopted after spirited debate dur
ing which q more comprehensive
resolution submitted by the resolu-
tions committee had been curtailed
substantially.
The institute in the closing session
of its 11th conference at the Hotel
|Statler called also for some relief
for cities because of the large
amount of ownership by the Federal
Government Of property which has
been removed from city rolls of tax
able property.
The next session of Congress was
urged to enact legislation to remedy
this loss of revenue to cities.
Would Change Property's Status.
The resolution proposes that the
legislation might provide that prop
erty heretofore on the tax rolls, prior
to Government ownership, may be
restored to taxable status and that
a provision in one manner or an
other, be made for the reimburse
ment by the Federal Government to
cities for tax-exempt holdings, title
to which will continue to be held In
the. United States Government.
This resolution was welcomed by
Vernon e. West, corporation counsel
of the District. Mr.. West, in an in
terview, said that in his opinion
efforts of cities and States to obtain
some redress from the Federal Gov
ernment for such q loss of taxes
should help the District in its long
fight. to obtain from the Federal
Government more financial help.
The question of Federally-owned
land now tax exempt in other parts
of the country was laid before the
conference by special committee
headed by Harold w. Kennedy,
county counsel of Los Angeles.
Problem in Arlington.
In his report, Mr.. Kennedy re-
ferred to a problem of nearby Ar
lington County. where, he said, more
than four square miles of territory
had been removed from the county
tax roll.
He pointed out that soon refer
endum will be conducted on the
question Of whether the Virginia
State constitution should be amend
ed to permit the taxation of such
Federal property.
Several other resolutions adopted
by the institute included: Proposal
for legislation to quiet the title
OF States to lands beneath tide and
navigable waters.
Approval of the principle of the
Wagner-Ellender-Taft housing bill
with the exception that the ability
of cities to pay should be taken into
account by Congress.
Opposition to attempts by State
governments to obtain political con-
troll of funds provided in the Fed
eral Airport Act.
Debate Lasts Hour.
The debate on strikes by munich
pal employees continued more than
an hour. The resolution commit
tees proposal. which condemned the
use of strike or work stoppage, was
attacked by Thomas L. Parsonnet,
corporation counsel of Newark, N. j.
He contended there was no legal
grounds for holding municipal ern-
ployes guilty Of violation of crim-
inal law for q strike against q
municipality. He proposed an
amendment to the resolution, later
defeated by the institute, that q
committee be appointed to study
the problem Of governmental EN-
ployer-employe relations. Such a
study would be reported. he pro-
posed, to the next annual conference
Of the institute.
william II. Emerson, corporation
counsel of Rochester, N. Y, OBJ
jected strongly to the Resolution
Committees original draft which
had proposed that municipalities
confer with organizations of their
employees. He said there could be
no equality between any group Of
employees on the one hand and the
sovereign power Of government on
the other, representing the people.