Governor of the State of Kentucky, whose support of the program
by personal and staff attention has been unexcelled.

Today marks a new phase in the development of a regional attack
on the problems which beset Appalachia. The creation of a system
of federal-state cooperation to accelerate the battles against poverty,
disease, illiteracy, isolation and under-utilized natural resources is
indeed a momentous and exciting occasion. I will not presume to
say in advance just what the exact nature of such federal-state as-
sociation should be — that is part of the task that lies before you
today. I would venture to suggest that if such an organization is to
be strong and effective it must retain a full measure of the direct
participation and support of the states and the region which gave it
life. I would suggest, too, that the organization establish very early
its goals and its priorities, its leadership and its plan of action.

I know that the birth of any new venture is not accomplished with
out much toil and soul-searching. To that task I commend you today.
Thank you.

STATEMENT BEFORE THE HOUSE PUBLIC WORKS
COMMITTEE

WASHINGTON

May 21, 1964

Mr. Chairman and members of the Committee:

This is a day I have looked forward to for four years. Four years
ago yesterday, on May 20, 1960, the first conference of Appalachian
Governors was held at my invitation in Annapolis, Maryland. In my
opening address to that Conference, I made this statement: "Nothing
significant can be accomplished for our distressed counties of Western
Maryland except as part of a program whose aim would be to rebuild
and revitalize the economy of the entire Appalachian region. "

Today this Committee has such a program before it. It is a pro-
gram which has been evolved during the past four years through
continuing effort by the Appalachian Governors Conference and the
federal government. It is a program which has been developed from
the bottom up, not from the top down. It is a program based on the
recognition by the governors of ten states that they shared a common
problem which could only be solved by common action.

The conditions in the Appalachian area are familiar to all of you,

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