NEWS CONFERENCE 239

A. I can't recall their names from memory, and frankly I don't think
I should identify them until I have established that they are at least
interested in the position. They are men who hold responsible posi-
tions in other governments and it may jeopardize their positions.

Q. This means Mr. White is interested?

A. Well, this is the committee's recommendation. Mr. White, I

would assume, would be interested.

Q. Was Mr. White the only Maryland candidate?

A. Yes, the only candidate submitted by the ad hoc committee.

Q. Governor, you're aware of the Giles decision in which the Giles
brothers were granted a new trial last Monday by a Montgomery
County Circuit Court Judge. They came very close to being executed
if it had not been for the commutation of their sentences by your
predecessor. Do you see in this an argument for the Legislature re-
suming consideration of abolition of capital punishment next year?

A. Yes, I think the Legislature should take it under additional con-
sideration. And I'm presently tracing back the studies regarding
capital punishment, by previous governmentally appointed commis-

sions, to see whether there is any real need of appointing a new com-

mission or whether simply an updating of the existing information is
all that the Legislature would require to resume its study. I expect
either to decide to appoint a new commission or to refer to the Legis-
lative Council a suggestion that they entertain previous studies within
the next month.

Q. Would you think that your position may be the same as it was
last time? In other words, you would want certain safeguards concern-
ing punishment?

A. I feel very strongly that if capital punishment is to be abolished,
and I think the enlightened view is that it should be abolished, it
should not happen unless, concurrently, steps are taken to make cer-
tain that people who are presently committed or sentenced to execu-
tion, people who have committed crimes of such a serious nature that
they are presently being sentenced to be executed, are removed effec-
tively from society and not subject to a parole after a fraction of the
sentence has been served.

Q. Governor, you have asked Senator Tydings to ask the Small
Business Administration to postpone its public auction of the equip-