State Governments, has already been of invaluable help. Without
the enthusiastic cooperation of Dr. Anderson and Mr. Wiltsee we
would never have been able to have brought this program to its
present point.

I was grateful, too, for Governor Underwoods' suggestion that a
regional group such as this should give special attention to speeding
up federal programs already in existence, particularly the highway
program.

When Governor Combs spoke at Annapolis he put his finger right
at the heart of the Appalachian problem—jobs. And he wisely sug-
gested that perhaps the most vital function for a regional effort at
the state executive level would be to give direction to and bring into
focus the many different programs—local, federal and regional—
already in existence. Governor Combs, too, spoke of the role which a
regional organization might play in shaping and encouraging federal
legislation which bears on our common problems. Governor Combs
also kindly extended an invitation for the second conference to meet
in Kentucky, which is why we are here today. For that we also thank
you, Governor Combs.

There were many other important points made at the Annapolis
meeting. I remember Mr. Whisman's statement that this is a head-
water region, and as such, has a profound effect on many other parts
of the country. And I was impressed by his conclusion that one im-
portant job of a group such as ours is to convince the rest of the
nation of the importance of this area, and of the urgency to make it
equal to the rest of the nation in terms of national prosperity.

At Annapolis, it was Mr. Davlin, Secretary of Commerce for the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, who told us that his state had more
chronic labor surplus areas than any other state, and who reminded
us how hard hit some of his land locked communities have been by
the inadequacy of federal highway funds. Mr. Davlin also cited—
and most aptly, I felt—the analogy between the Appalachian Region
and the Western states. Mr. Davlin reminded us of how the Western-
ers, regardless of political party, over the years have bound themselves
together on reclamation, dams and other water resources projects-
projects which the whole nation has supported with billions of dollars.

From all of these remarks, and from the many other intelligent
and thoughtful contributions made by those who attended the Anna-
polis Conference, I came away with the very definite feeling that
there did indeed seem to be a place for some kind of regional co-

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