370 ADDRESSES AND STATE PAPERS

people of a State are entitled to a clear and direct statement of their
Governor's position. This is such a statement.

In the first place, it is evident that there is ample cause for unrest
in our cities. There is still discrimination and, in too many cases,
there are deplorable slum conditions. Our Negro citizens have not
received, and in many cases are not receiving, equal educational, job
and housing opportunities, The gains recently made, while good, are
not enough.

I believe that responsible militants within the Negro leadership
should use every means available to place legitimate pressure on those
in authority to break the senseless and artificial barriers of racial dis-
crimination. But legitimate pressure — the power of the vote, the
power of organized political, economic and social action — does not
give any person or group a license to commit crimes.

Burning, looting, and sniping, even under the banner of civil rights,
are still arson, larceny and murder. There are established penalties for
such felonies, and we cannot change the punishment simply because
the crime occurred during a riot. The laws must be consistently en-
forced to protect all our people. If any angry man burns his neighbor's
house, or loots his neighbor's store, or guns his neighbor down, no
reason for his anger will be enough of an excuse.

In Maryland, rioting or inciting to riot, no matter what wrong is
said to be the cause, will not be tolerated. There are proper ways to
protest and they must be used. It shall now be the policy in this
State to immediately arrest any person inciting to riot and to not
allow that person to finish his vicious speech. * All lawbreakers will
be vigorously and promptly prosecuted.

Acts of violence will not be later forgiven just because the criminal
after a while adopts a more reasonable attitude. The violent cannot
be allowed to sneak unnoticed from the war dance to the problem
solving meeting. No, the problem-solving conference must be reserved
for those who shun lawlessness, who win their places at the conference
table by leadership that builds rather than destroys.

The problem-solving must be done by constructive militants such as
the Wilkinses, Kings, Youngs and Randolphs—not by the Carmichaels,
Joneses and Browns. But it should include the younger responsible

*See also, below, letter of August 21, 1967, to Colonel Robert J.
Lally, Superintendent, Maryland State Police.