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PRESS COMMENT ON FORMATION OF NEW
ROCKEFELLER GROUP

April 11, 1968

I have been too occupied with urgent affairs in Maryland the past
two weeks to give any thought whatsoever to national politics, as im-
portant as that subject is to the citizens of our State.

Therefore, I have no comment at this time on the formation of the
new committee to promote the candidacy of Governor Nelson Rocke-
feller for the presidency. I have stated repeatedly over the past year
that I regard Governor Rockefeller as the best qualified possible
candidate for the Presidency, but he has not yet declared publicly
his willingness to actively seek the Republican nomination. Unless
and until the situation develops further, I cannot actively associate
myself with this effort or spend the time required on it.

STATEMENT AT CONFERENCE WITH CIVIL RIGHTS

AND COMMUNITY LEADERS, STATE

OFFICE BUILDING, BALTIMORE

April 11, 1968

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Hard on the heels of tragedy come the assignment of blame and
the excuses. I did not invite you here for either purpose. I did not
ask you here to recount previous deprivations, or to hear me enumer-
ate prior attempts to correct them. I did not request your presence to
bid for peace with the public dollar.

Look around you and you may notice that every one here is a
leader — and that each leader present has worked his way to the top.
If you'll observe, the ready-mix, instantaneous type of leader is not
present. The circuit-riding, Hanoi-visiting type of leader is missing
from this assembly. The caterwauling, riot-inciting, burn-America-
down type of leader is conspicuous by his absence. That is no accident,
ladies and gentlemen, it is just good planning. And in the vernacular
of today — "that's what it's all about, baby. "

Some weeks ago, a reckless stranger to this City, carrying the cre-
dentials of a well-known civil rights organization, characterized the