these new programs. In fact, the reason I rearranged my schedule so I
could be here this morning was because I thought it important to tell
you in person that the State of Maryland is going to continue to work
actively to make certain that all Maryland communities obtain every
benefit they are entitled to under the new federal programs to assist
economically distressed areas. As you know, assistance for communities
with chronic economic difficulties is not a new idea with me. In April of
1960 the first meeting of the Appalachian Governors Conference was
held in Annapolis at my invitation. The purpose of this conference was
to discuss this region's common problems and to explore ways in which
cooperative action by the states might be brought to bear on them. The
Appalachian Governors Conference is now a permanent organization,
and through it state and local level programs designed to strengthen the
region's economy are being coordinated. The conference is also working
on plans which will, we hope, lead to the elimination of some of the
region's basic economic deficiencies—for example—it's lack of good
highways, of effective water control systems, of adequate educational
facilities and opportunities. In early May, the Appalachian Governors
Conference met in Washington, and one of our sessions was held in the
White House at the President's invitation.

President Kennedy assured us that the new Area Redevelopment
Administration and other applicable federal programs would give top
priority consideration to our plans for the economic rehabilitation of the
Appalachian region. The Appalachian Governors Conference played a
part in the creation of the Area Redevelopment Administration. At least
two of the conference's staff members—Mr. Harry Boswell of Maryland
and Mr. John Whisman of Kentucky—were active members of the task
force which, under the leadership of Senator Douglas, drafted the Area
Redevelopment Act.

Maryland is, to the best of my knowledge, one of the first states to take
advantage of the provisions of the Area Redevelopment Act. Three of
our communities—Cumberland, Hagerstown and Cambridge—are offi-
cially classified as eligible for benefits under the Act. Two of them, in
cooperation with our Department of Economic Development, have al-
ready filed applications for assistance for specific projects. I understand
that the Area Redevelopment Administration has these applications
under consideration now, and I sincerely hope that their decision will be
favorable, for in one instance the fate of some 600 new jobs hangs in the
balance. One of these projects involves the development of the Port of
Cambridge. The Maryland Port Authority, the Department of Eco-
nomic Development, local officials from Cambridge and Dorchester

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