NEWS CONFERENCE 905

tate a much-needed revision of the executive branch of the State
government. The failure of the proposed Constitution left standing
the urgent need to modernize and streamline an apparatus of govern-
ment which has grown overly large, old, cumbersome, outmoded and
wastefully expensive over a period of many years.

I have appointed a special committee of eminently qualified per-
sons to study this problem and make recommendations to me and to
the General Assembly how we can achieve this objective through
statutory change. Significantly, the Committee will include a num-
ber of highly influential members of the Maryland Legislature and
my immediate predecessor in this office, Governor J. Millard Tawes,
who demonstrated his interest in modernizing the executive branch
before he left office.

Mr. John N. Curlett, President of McCormick and Company of
Baltimore and head of a similar type study commission appointed
by former Governor Tawes in 1966, has agreed to serve as Chairman.

Serving with him in addition to former Governor Tawes will be:

The President of the Maryland Senate, the Honorable William S.
James of Harford County.

The Speaker of the House of Delegates, the Honorable Marvin
Mandel of Baltimore City.

The Chairmen of the fiscal committees of the Maryland Legislature,
Senator Harry R. Hughes and Delegate William M. Houck.

The Honorable John A. Luetkemeyer, Treasurer of the State of
Maryland.

The Honorable C. Stanley Blair, Secretary of State of Maryland.

John G. Lauber, Director of the Governor's Task Force on Modern
Management.

Senator Jervis S. Finney of Baltimore County.

Delegate John Stuart McInerney of Montgomery County.

James R. Miller, Jr., Montgomery County attorney and former
member of the Maryland House of Delegates.

I have given this Committee a virtual blank check to examine all
aspects of the present structure of the executive branch and to recom-
mend whatever changes it thinks desirable. From the very nature
of its make-up, I think the citizens of Maryland and the General
Assembly can expect a totally objective and seasoned examination of
the executive branch and recommendations on which there can be
widespread agreement.