in the Appalachians could get together and take some kind of co-
operative action on a regional basis, we would each be able to make
more progress with our own internal problems.

The Economic Development Department took the initiative in ar-
ranging and setting up the May 20th Conference, and in the prepara-
tion of the preliminary report which formed the basis of our discussions.
As a result, an interim committee was formed to consider what ac-
tivities would be appropriate and useful for the states jointly to engage
in, and five days from now we Governors are meeting again in Lexing-
ton, Kentucky, with Governor Combs to consider the committee's pro-
posals.

Under the legislation creating the Department of Economic Develop-
ment, that Department was also charged with the development of
tourism in Maryland. Initiating a vigorous program, the old Depart-
ment of Information at Annapolis has been expanded, and many new
releases and features have been added to our tourist informational
output. We are also engaged in the consolidation of old miscellaneous
State tourism pamphlets, and are soon going to bring out a single
new and very handsome promotional piece, containing many color
photographs. Another new objective of the tourism program is to give
expanded publicity to some of our traditional events. As a result, even
the Crab Derby in Crisfield this summer received national coverage,
with Governors from many Pacific as well as Atlantic Coast states
sending spirited entries to the contest. Next year, an international
crab derby is under consideration—a sort of crab Olympics, you might
say. I think the same kind of national promotion should be given
Antietam, the Autumn Glory Program and other Maryland attractions.

These, then, are some of the accomplishments and aims of the
Economic Development Department of the State of Maryland. I think
that it is a praiseworthy record for an organization that a year ago had
neither staff nor office space and equipment.

In my opinion there are many new industrial horizons still to be
discovered here in Maryland, and I am pleased that we have a dynamic
Economic Development Department to help us in our efforts to explore
them.

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