NEWS CONFERENCE 741

and while they won't be the subject of change they will still perform
a very important function of getting it off the chests of the students
and letting them know that they have receptive ears to voice their
complaints to.

(Legislative Assessment, Resumed)

Q. Governor, getting back to the Legislature. Are you displeased
that the General Assembly on the one hand banned the slot machines
and kept the pinballs alive?

A. Well, I have said so much about pinball machines that I don't
know what I could add. I think we've made substantial progress this
year. The pinball thing isn't over. It will be back next year and I
would say that if it's not enacted next year it will be back the year
after, and it will keep coming back just as the slot machine problem
came back until finally there'll be enough pressure generated and
something's going to be done about it. What happened to Senator
Snyder, what's going on with regard to a gradual recognition of the
influences behind pinball gambling, is a step forward in enlightening
the members of the Legislature that something has to be done about
this. Next year, or the year after, or the year after that they are going
to be abolished, I would predict.

Q. Governor, there's another particular bill — one that was passed —
that would permit teachers and principals to interfere physically with
fights on school property. Are you likely to sign that bill?

A. Well, the bill may reflect some of my thinking that I stated at a
press conference earlier this year that where there was an actual physi-
cal disturbance that was disruptive of order within the school build-
ing, I thought the teacher should be empowered to separate the par-
ticipants of that disturbance. I haven't read the bill so I can't speak
to this specific bill, but I am in favor of giving the teacher the right
to separate people who are in the process of a disorderly brawl that
might endanger other students.

Q. Governor, are you aware of any bills now that you will veto?

A. I can't state at this moment. We are going to consider the veto
situation very carefully, as we should and always will, but I wouldn't
want to state — it's a little premature for that.

Q. Governor, is it premature to respond to the Baltimore Teachers'
Union request that you veto the bill that would effect negotiations
between the teachers and the school administrators?

A. Yes, I got the letter this morning, but I haven't had a chance to
discuss it with Mr. Cole, my program executive in the area of edu-