Later on that year — in October — I amplified on these remarks
in a speech 1 made at a joint meeting of service clubs in Cumberland.
I spoke of the efforts our State Department of Economic Development
was making to spark an economic revival in Western Maryland, and
I said that it was my belief that one of the chief reasons why some
of the communities of this area tended to lag behind other parts
of the State in such things as full employment and per capita income
is "the difficulties of the terrain and perhaps because of the failure
on the part of the federal government to exert an all-out effort to
conserve and develop" the great human and natural resources of
the region "on a par with other areas of the country which are favored
with a less rugged topography. "

Now, I make no claim of any particular gift of prophecy, but in
that speech I did point out that it had become apparent that "one of
the fundamental ills is our failure to develop our communication and
transportation facilities to a level required by modern industry and
commerce. ' It is worthy of note in that connection that the federal
government, in its Appalachian regional program, makes the same
appraisal of the situation and has developed the same concept for
the improvement of conditions. That is to say, its initial efforts are
being concentrated on the creation of an adequate communications
system through the building and improvement of highways. There are,
of course, such other projects as mining area restoration, local access
roads, the creation of a regional development agency, grants-in-aid
for desirable federal programs, sewage treatment works, vocational
education facilities, and so on. But the main effort, as I have said, is
being directed toward highway improvement, with the objective of
removing forever the burden and the stigma of isolationism which
has afflicted this beautiful land for too many years.

As you perhaps know, more than $4 million of the $1. 1 billion
dollars in what is called the "quick start" phase of the Appalachian
regional development program has been allocated to Maryland's
three westernmost counties — Garrett, Allegany and Washington.
And of this amount $2, 837, 000 is earmarked to improve Route 40 —
the historic National Pike — from Hancock to near Keyser's Ridge
in this county, and improvement of U. S. Route 219 in Garrett from
Route 40 to the Pennsylvania line.

I have in hand here a leaflet which shows the part that your State
has played in the creation and development of this highly significant
program. It is captioned "Idea of Maryland's Governor Comes Full
Circle. " And while I would be the first to disclaim that the ideas and

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