NEWS CONFERENCE 491

Q. Do you think that the Republicans may have reflected on your
views?

A. Now wait a minute, did you say Republicans or delegates?
Q. Republicans.

A. I don't even know how many Republicans there are in the Con-
vention, and I'm not even interested in knowing, because as you just
pointed out it is a nonpartisan situation. I haven't talked to Repub-
licans, Democrats, independents, or anybody else on these subjects,
and I don't intend to.

Q. Governor, both the Attorney General and the Comptroller are
of the opinion that the committee's recommendation will be reversed
or ignored when it gets to the floor of the full convention. Do you
think so?

A. I haven't got any way to make a judgment on it. I have no idea
what the committee's thinking is on these subjects, having not dis-
cussed them with any member of the convention.

Q. Governor, General Gelston said his neck is way out in connection
with the permission he says you gave him to order out the guard dur-
ing the outbreak in Cambridge.

A. Yes, and you know I was completely confused when I read the
report of that particular statement by the General. I called him that
evening, and I said, "My understanding, General, was that you would
like to have this flexibility and authority. " And he said, "By all means,
it is good for me to have it. " I think if you check with him, you'll find
the authority he has is limited only to the very unusual circumstances
where no one could reach me. I'm not trying to force my responsibility
on the General. But I do think that if a crisis should arise, and for
some reason I cannot be contacted and it's a matter where the exercise
of a judgment within hours is important to the welfare of the State,
it would be rather ridiculous for me to shackle the National Guard
commander. After all, in the final analysis, I'm going to be heavily
persuaded by his opinion of the situation, anyhow.

Q. Governor, in regard to this matter of calling out the National
Guard, there are fires and things done at night-time. Do you feel a
curfew would help because of the many children that are involved
in minor incidents?

A. I had no idea until you raised this question that this was a prev-
alent thing. I knew there were isolated incidents of minor fires hav-
ing been set. Whether the matter has reached the degree of seriousness