for any service it desires. In other circumstances an industry will first
contact the Department of Economic Development and ask the De-
partment to recommend a number of communities in the State which
seem to have the facilities and atmosphere desired by the industry.
Often the firm desires that its interest remain undisclosed until it has
had an opportunity to survey the various suggested localities.

However, after the industry indicates that it wants to make contact
with the people of the community, it is then up to the town and its
businessmen and other officials to clinch the deal. That is why—in the
final analysis—the real credit for the acquisition of any industry within
the State belongs to the community where that business eventually
locates. This is a truth which our Economic Development Department
fully recognizes.

In order to successfully service the firms that make inquiries about
Maryland, the Department of Economic Development needs to have a
competent research division, which is able to come up quickly with
detailed and factual replies to the prospect's questions. We are quite
pleased with our Research Division, and we have been fortunate to
acquire the services of experts in a number of special fields. In the few
short months the Department has been in business the new staff has
had to answer questions ranging from such diverse matters as water
analyses, to the price of stewing hens, to providing a synopsis of certain
courses offered by institutions of higher learning in and around the
city of Frederick.

Incidentally, the Business and Industrial Development Division of
the Department informs me that it has furnished information about
Frederick to nine prospects. Five of these prospects have subsequently
sent representatives to Frederick. All but one has asked to be put in
contact with the Chamber of Commerce and this one has indicated
that it may take this step soon.

In addition to filling its key staff assignments and recruiting other
personnel—which now number more than 20—the Department of Eco-
nomic Development has engaged in a number of special projects which
are important to the economic welfare of the State as a whole.... An-
other major project engaged in by the Department of Economic Develop-
ment was the Appalachian Governors' Conference, held in Annapolis last
May 20th. This Conference was held at my instigation, because I felt
that many of the problems besetting the western counties of Maryland
were part of the larger problems of the entire Appalachian area. It
was my feeling that if all of the states with a portion of their territory

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