FIRS! YEAR AS GOVERNOR 663

a consensus, a utilization of a firm middle ground on which to meet
and solve the problem and a rejection of the simple emotional in-
volvements, a luxury that we can't afford now on both ends of the
spectrum.

Q. We talked about crime. Some years ago we thought of only the
slums, but today, and you have made a point of this several times,
we're burdened by vandalism in some of the best areas in our com-
munities.

A. We can't excuse the criminal tendency. We can't excuse the com-
mission of an act of violence by identifying the person who does it
and saying that he comes from a deprived background. This is no
excuse for the crime. There are many people who come from deprived
backgrounds who don't commit crimes. The encouragement and the
forgiveness of these people is simply removing the inducements to
others like them to struggle their way into a decent life. On the other
hand, we cannot for a minute diminish our efforts to provide oppor-
tunity to remove the enticement of a criminal life from the people
who are under-privileged. And the way we should do that is to en-
courage the constructive Negro leadership in this country. We've got
magnificent leadership like Mr. Wilkins and Whitney Young and
people of that type who for years have stood alone without the help
of these latecomers who have seized upon the tremendous coverage
that the media now give the problem to advance themselves quickly
into the limelight. We've got these men who have worked for years
and years and years, selflessly in this direction. And we, meaning the
incumbent white officeholders in this country, owe a tremendous obli-
gation to do everything we can to make certain that Mr. Wilkins and
Mr. Young and others of their type are helped, recognized, assisted,
not just when trouble is around, but consistently.

Q. Governor, I notice we've only got about six minutes left, and I
want to talk to you a little about politics too. You know you were
elected governor in 1966 in Maryland and yet a year later in a race
for mayor over in Baltimore the Republican Party barely limped in
there, a very bad election showing.

A. Yes, Baltimore is not one of our best areas.

Q. Well, what's the future of the party in the State of Maryland,
Governor?

A. I think it's much better. We're working on the Baltimore situa-
tion. We have been working consistently, and I would guess that if