730 ADDRESSES AND STATE PAPERS

Vietnam, and possibly he is not in a position to do that. This again
is my own observation. If the people who are enthusiastically clamor-
ing for his candidacy attach the condition that he must be a dove in
the traditional sense of the word, and he isn't able to do that, I can
understand that he may be reluctant at this point to enter the race.
He has indicated that he will state his positions as a noncandidate.
Possibly, when those positions have been expressed there will be a
better chance to analyze and evaluate whether his support is a genuine
support of himself as a person most able to solve the problems facing
the country, or whether it's simply a yearning for an alternative to the
war support that's been enunciated by Mr. Nixon. Whatever the case
may be, I haven't changed my position about the Governor. I think
he is clearly the best possible candidate the Republican Party could
offer to the electorate in November. I want to be again most candid
in stating that I think the chances of his becoming that candidate in
the general election are diminished by what has taken place since the
withdrawal of Mr. Romney. And I question the ability of the volun-
teer groups to hold the enthusiasm that's pouring out all over the
country in the face of his announcement today. We're going to talk
with our people, meaning the volunteer leadership over the country.
I can't speak for what they're going to want to do, but we'll have a
statement, I am sure, to make on the posture of the loose amalgam
of volunteer organizations that has crystallized over the past week.

Q. Governor, will you dismantle the Maryland volunteer organiza-
tion?

A. Not until I talk with the organization, and actually it won't be
up to me to dismantle or continue it. It'll be up to Mr. Smith, the
chairman of the group, and the members of that committee as to
what course they want to take.

Q. How do you feel? What will you recommend?

A. Again I think it's a matter of getting the opinion of everybody
involved because this is a committee and would have to be carried
by the will of the majority.

Q. Will you personally continue to work for Governor Rockefeller?

A. I'm just as convinced as I ever was that he is the best possible
candidate. I want to talk with the Governor personally about the
situation as soon as I can. I don't think there's any question but that
he has left himself available for the nomination if it's offered to him.
More than that he really hasn't said today.