632 ADDRESSES AND STATE PAPERS

Social problems are far more difficult to cope with since poverty,
prejudice, lack of educational opportunity, and unemployment de-
mand more than short-term solutions and placebo programs. The 1967
General Assembly achieved a commendable record in the area of hu-
man rights, a record I hope we can expand upon in 1968. Last year
the Legislature rescinded Maryland's archaic antimiscegenation law
and extended our public accommodations statute. In addition, the
administration inaugurated the Crash Jobs Program and promulgated
an executive Code of Fair Practices. The Code implements in precise
detail present general laws which prohibit discrimination in State
employment and limit State contracts to those private firms which
observe nondiscriminatory employment practices.

This year we must move ahead. We must expand our public ac-
commodation statutes to assure that all citizens have the right to be
served by any commercial enterprise professing to serve the general
public.

We must also move to assure more adequate low-cost housing for
all our citizens, not only to relieve the impaction and slums of Mary-
land's urban areas, but to aid the elderly living on a fixed, limited
income and even the moderate income family whose standard of
living is threatened by the inflationary spiral.

Safe and decent housing is essential to human dignity. High in-
terest rates, land and construction costs have limited the availability
of low and moderate income housing. Legislation will be introduced
to authorize a State Housing Development Fund to encourage the
construction of this desperately needed type of housing. Grants from
this revolving fund, in the form of interest-bearing advances or mort-
gage insurance, would be made to sponsors complying with State regu-
lations on rentals, profit, occupancy, dividends and disposition of
the property. A State Housing Authority would be created to admin-
ister the program, but final approval of all grants and insurance con-
tracts would rest with the Board of Public Works.

In addition, I shall propose a Statewide Housing Code establishing
minimum health and safety standards as recommended by the Gov-
ernor's Commission on Housing Standards.

It is highly desirable that you address yourselves again this year to
one of the most challenging moral issues of our time — capital punish-
ment. Although opinion is strongly divided, social maturity and com-
pelling professional thought call for the repeal of our laws allowing
this form of punishment. However, many of us are not prepared to