456 State Papers and Addresses

purposes of the organization would be assigned to various sub-committees of
the Counsel. This was done to enable the work to proceed expeditiously and
to enable specially qualified members to devote exclusive attention to their
particular subjects. Continuously throughout the year,, the Council and its
committees have functioned.. For obvious reasons, the work of the committees
was not at all times widely publicized but it can be said that, in every develop-
ment where the National Council and other Federal agencies have required the
cooperation of the various States, the Maryland Commission has been active in
response and has carried on steadily and with increasing participation in
national efforts.

How well we have kept our word to allow no outside consideration to
hamper the Council's effort for the general good may be known to all. Suffice
it to say that not one move has been made, not one dollar has been spent, not
a job created, and nothing has been done which was based upon political or
other ulterior consideration. Such a policy will always be maintained.

At the recent session of the General Assembly, the elected representatives
of the people sanctioned this organization. A statute was passed legalizing
the Council and writing in the law the names of every member who had agreed
to serve on the Council. Under the recent act of the Legislature, provision
was made for the creation of District Councils to "act as coordinating agencies
under the supervision and direction of the Council and in cooperation with
local governmental agencies. " I have undertaken to name these District Coun-
cils and, in doing so, have invited outstanding men and women from every
county of the State and the City of Baltimore, without regard to affiliation, to
enter into this State-wide undertaking. How patriotic is the attitude of our
people can best be understood from the wholehearted and general acceptance
of this assignment by the busily-engaged persons, many of whom reside and
have their places of business at points far distant from the. seat of the State
government. • .

Today's is the first general meeting of the District Councils. Washington
now urges that the organization of the District Councils be completed and that
they be put upon an active working basis. In order that the District Councils
may exercise their own judgment as to organization, the choice of the respective
chairmen will be left entirely to the members. However, in order that a start
may be made, I will immediately request one of the members of each District
Council to -call a meeting although I do not wish it understood that the person
thus requested is favored for the chairmanship. Mayer Howard W. Jackson
of Baltimore, with whom I conferred yesterday, has shown his sincere desire
to cooperate and stated that he will call a meeting of the Baltimore City mem-
bers in the very near future.

Mention might be made of only a few of the matters to be considered by
the District Councils although more detailed advices will be forwarded from
the State Council. These matters might be grouped under two. heads: —

1. Those things that are immediate and pressing.

2. Those things that though immediate need only planning and call
for possible training.