Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1947-07-20

work.
as the one held here, is strictly
IS in debate along party lines. Each
utive Committee, having five Repub-
affect the States individually and
collectively has been demonstrated
again and again during the two dec
AIDES in which the conference has
been in existence. And occasionally
the conference deals with matters Of
supreme national concern.
Backed u. S. Policy
This last was true at the Salt Lake
City conference. Secretary of State
Marshall flew/here from Washing
ton TO obtain the interest and sup
port of the Governors for the adj
ministration's program of aid to the
war stricken countries Of Europe
program which has as its end the
economic rehabilitation of Europe.
together with the saving of Western
European nations from the encom-
passment of Soviet Russia and
communism. The conference unan-
imously adopted resolution placing
the Governors firmly back OF a 81.
partisan American foreign policy.
The conferences only method Oh
exerting its influence is through res
olutions, setting forth the position
Of the Governors. All resolutions
must be adopted unanimously to be
effective, a rule that adds to force
Of such action by the Governors.
The Marshall resolution was by
no means the only important issue
the conference tackled. Allied with
the Marshall support was declara-
ton by the Governors in support Of
strong national preparedness-in-
Guiding support for system of uni
versal military training. They also
approved a resolution urging en-
ployers to grant special leave to
employees for training in the reserve
forces and in the National Guard.
The conference was firm throughout
in support of strong United States,
in the face of an uncertain world.
Other Resolutions
Other matters with which the
conference dealt by resolution in
cluded the tidelands in which oil
is located, and which the Cover
nors want transferred to the States;
the removal of Federal supervision
of State unemployment compensa.
ton and employment compensation
programs. It called upon Congress
to appropriate more money for flood
Gov. Horace A. Hildreth of Maine
was elected chairman Of the Gov
errors Conference for the next year
by the newly elected Executive
Board which consists of the follow
ing Governors: Caldwell of Florida
(this years chairman, Carlson Of
Kansas, Donneliy of Missouri, Gates
of Indiana, Knous Of Colorado, Smell
of Oregon, Thurmond of South
Carolina and Wallgren of Washing
ton.
Three principal subjects which
the conference considered in round
table discussions-a kind of free
for-all debate, with one particular
Governor designated as moderator
were taxation Climited to discus
sion of the possible division of fields
of taxation between the State and
Federal governments); Federal aid
to the States for schools, and the
organization and administration OF
State governments.
The debate on taxation brought
on a clash between two Of the prin.
cipal figures at the conference, both
potential candidates for the Repub-
lican presidential nomination next
year. Gov. Thomas E. Dewey OF
New York and Gov. Earl Warren
Of California. Gov. Dewey as mod
orator for this round-table discus
sion, took a pretty firm stand in
favor of a proposal to leave to the
Federal Government the fields OF
income and sales taxes-while re-
serving. to the States more so-called
local fields of taxation such as
amusements, admissions, gasoline.
taxes on alcoholic beverages, at least
in part, and inheritance and gift
taxes.
Warren's Position
Gov. Warren Immediately assailed
the proposal. He insisted that the
States had traditional systems Of
taxation, not to be lightly laid aside.
He insisted that some of the States
would be hard hit by any such
division OF the sources Of taxation
as outlined by Gov. Dewey and Gov.
Driscoll of New Jersey, who had
taken up the cudgels for the Dewey
plan. Almost Immediately there
were two or more camps in the con-
ference on this subject of division
of taxation between the State and
Federal governments. One group,
Governors Of less populous and less
wealthy States, backed the Warren
position-States of the West and
South-while the Governors of the
Weather States sided with the
Dewey-Driscou program.
1t all emphasized the great differ.
ences-in matter Of interests-which
separate the States Of the Union.
The most that any one can hope
from this very sensible proposal to
divide fields of taxation and revenue,
so that the great overlapping OF
Federal and State taxes now in ex-
istence may be eradicated-is fur
tfer study" with conferences be-
tween a committee representing the
States and another representing