788 ADDRESSES AND STATE PAPERS

A. Well, as the Governor himself said, I don't consider myself stand-
by equipment. [Laughter. ] Very seriously, no; I think it would be the
height of temerity for me to suggest, coming from a state that never
had a vice president possibility and being only a little over a year in
office, that this is something serious enough for me to consider at this
time.

Q. Governor, now that a site has been picked for peace talks, how do
you think this will affect the presidential race?

A. Well, I am very suspicious. I guess all of us are, because it takes
so long to decide where we are going to argue. I hope that the length
of time it took to reach this very preliminary step of a site for talking
is not an indication of how long it is going to take to dispose of the
other procedural matters that must of necessity be considered before
we can get to the substantive question of how to end this war. I am
just not confident that there is a real desire to make a quick move
on the part of the North Vietnamese. I hope I am wrong, and I think
we ought to take the steps we are taking because we have got to do
everything possible to end the war, but I am not encouraged by how
long it took to get the situs.

COMMENTS ON SIGNING WATER POLLUTION
CONTROL LEGISLATION

May 7, 1968

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Today as we sign many bills into law — good and important meas-
ures for Maryland — it is with the greatest pride and pleasure that I
sign the Comprehensive Water Pollution Control legislation, House
Bills 902-903.

These bills received the administration's highest priority at the
1968 General Assembly. Over a year of painstaking effort went into
the preparation of this program, and with its enactment our State
becomes one of the nation's leaders in water quality control.

In scope and in scale this legislation, including the authorization
of $129 million in capital expenditures, is without precedent in our
State's history. It expands greatly upon last year's Sanitary Sewage
Facilities Loan Act, which in itself tripled all previous State efforts
in this area.