135

NEWS CONFERENCE
April 5, 1967

I have no formal statement this morning. The purpose of this con-
ference is to answer your questions.

Q. Do you have any indication of a break in the tugboat strike?

A. I have hopes that the situation has altered somewhat since I sus-
pended intervention in that matter last week. I have been requested
to call this meeting tonight, and I have been requested to call it be-
cause there has apparently been an indication of some alteration in
position by one of the principals.

Q. Governor, when did you get a request to call the meeting?

A. It was the day before yesterday. The final arrangement of the
date of the meeting was made yesterday, but the indication that an-
other meeting might be profitable was day before yesterday.

Q. Governor, has any progress been made about replacing Mr. Peper-
sack?

A. We are receiving quite a few applications. Yesterday, I received
two recommendations from Governor Romney, and I promptly sent to
Judge Michaelson the resumes of these two people who are presently
in the system of his state. He's not trying to get rid of them, but I
did ask him to give me two or three nominees of people he thought
would be especially qualified, and they have been sent to Judge
Michaelson along with many other applications that we have received.

Q. Have you received any from anyone in this state, Governor?

A. Oh yes, quite a few, and they are routinely transmitted to the ad
hoc committee the same day we receive them. I haven't made any
effort to interview these people myself; I'm simply sending them on
to Judge Michaelson.

Q. It is believed that the appointment will come from out of the
State?

A. No, I don't think we can assume that. I want to leave the ad hoc
committee with the utmost flexibility in making the recommendations
to me after the committee has completed its screening. I'm sure that
there well may be a chance that the person could come from Mary-
land, although I certainly don't want the committee to restrict its
search to this State.