Evening star., 1949-03-23
Farley
Elects Green
0fBirniinghan1
Final Session Also
Indorses Much of
Trumon's Program


Trumon's Program
Mayor w. Cooper Green OF
Birmingham, Ala. was unani-
elected president of the
United States Conference OF
Mayors at the final session today
at the Hotel Statler.
Mayor Green, who succeeds
Mayor George w. Welsh of Grand
Rapids, Mich, served as vice
president of the organization last
year.
The delegates also elected
Mayor David D. Lawrence of
Pittsburgh vice president for the
coming year. He previously served
as chairman of the conference S
Program Committee.
Trustees named were Mayors
Martin H. Kennedy of Chicago,
Willie ODwyer of New York,
Thomas H. Burke of Cleveland,
Joseph E. Smith of Oakland, Stan
ley w. Church of New Rochelle
Oscar Holcombe of Houston, Will
liam Morrison of Charleston, S. c.,
and Watkins Overton of Memphis
Truman Measures Backed.
In their final session this morn
ing. the mayors also passed reso-
lutions indorsing good part OF
President Truman's legislative
program.
Among these were recommended
tions that the Congress extend
and improve existing
rent control legislation. The at
tention of Congress was called to
the fact that city governments
are ill equipped to administer
rent controls" as they might be
called on to do under the bill
passed by the Senate yesterday.
Federal funds for building high
ways and schools were called for
and it was urged that the au-
thority of the Federal Housing
Administration be extended to in
sure mortgages on rental housing
Other resolutions urged Federal
funds for municipal airport con-
struction and continued operation
Of control towers by CAA per-
sonnel. The mayors petitioned that
the Social Security Act be amend
ed to permit voluntary retire.
ment coverage of municipal en-
ployes not now protected by any
State or local retirement plan"
Admissions Tax Repeal.
They called for the repeal of the
present Federal admissions tax,
thus leaving this source of rev.
enue to the local governments, -
and urged more liberal loans for
participation of local government
Ia 4 Nation wide program
Of pollution control.
This morning, the delegates
heard q discussion of the school
problem by Representative Rains
Democrat. Of Alabama, who pre-
dicted the shortage of school
buildings throughout the Nation
would continue lover a period OF
years."
Unless Federal assistance is
made available. thousands OF
American children will be deprived
of minimum educational oppor-
tunities," Mr.. Rains said.
And Austin j. Tobin, executive
director of the Port of New York
Authority, told the meeting that
local taxpayers are refusing to
subsidize the commercial airlines'
by financing airports in New York
San Francisco, Newark and Cleve-
land. The airlines themselves, Mr.
Tobin said, are largely responsible
for this public apathy.
Atlanta Mayor Speaks.
Mayor William B. Hartsfield OF
Atlanta spoke on the problems OF
a growing city"
Speaking of the experience OF
his town, he said Atlanta was
right back where 1t started 10
years ago."
IF you can get anything out OF
us as a horrible example you're
welcome to it," he told the meet
ing. He advised mayors who seek
to expand their city limits not to
let their city services extend be-
yond their borders.
Speakers in the first two days
Of the conference included Presi-
dent Truman. Bernard Baruch,
Gen. Eisenhower and Senator
Vandenberg.
Participate in Broadcast.
Two congressional leaders. a
business columnist and a Fed
eral official appeared on the
Americas Town Meet
ing of the Air" as part of the
Mayors Convention last night.
The hour-long ABC program
was broadcast from the Statler
by WMAL and WMAL-FM, The
Star stations. Speakers discussed
the problem of legislating for the
general welfare without curbing
personal liberty.
Participating were Senator Taft.
of Ohio. member of
the Senate Labor and Public Well
fare Committee: Representative
Mccormack, Democrat. of Massa-
Henry Hazlitt of News
week Magazine and Oscar L.
Chapman, Undersecretary of the
Interior.
Taft Gives Views.
Senator Taft declared that the
should extend serv-
ices like relief, medical care and
housing more Systematically than
is done now to all those unable to
pay for a decent minimum Of the
necessities of life. The curb on
freedom involved. he said, is not
a serious menace if so limited.
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