Theodore R. McKeldin, Governor      357

6. Closely related to the above is another question which
the Legislature will have to face now or later: Why should
not the University of Maryland and, indeed, all depart-
ments of the State, be required to submit to appropriate
State authority their proposals to accept federal funds?
These funds are not blessings that fall from Heaven, with
no cost or obligation. They frequently involve the State in
heavy commitments for the future. No department should
be permitted to decide for itself that it will accept federal
funds and institute new services or expand old ones which
will have to be carried on by the State in later years
after the federal subsidy has been withdrawn. If a new
service has merit, or if an old one is to be increased, and
federal funds should be received for this purpose, others in
addition to the department seeking to spend the money,
should Have a voice in determining the question. We should
not back into or be backed into important decisions of this
sort.

It has been asserted that frequently there is no time to
seek approval from the General Assembly, the Governor,
the Board of Public Works or any other agency of the
State, and an illustration has been cited of a "secret re-
search project" which had to be acted upon without op-
portunity for inquiry by anyone outside the University.
We may well doubt that such secrecy or urgency is likely
to arise often, or that it could not be suitably dealt with.

The bill affects to deal with the matter by providing that
the University shall make an annual report of donations
and gifts after they have been received. This is another of
the illusions of limitation upon the broad grant of power
contained in the bill. To report after the event serves no
useful purpose, and is a mere gesture. Heretofore it has
been not unusual for the report and the first news of the
gift to come to the attention of the Governor and the Gen-
eral Assembly in the form of a request for additional funds
to carry on the work already begun. A suitable distinction
could be made between small gifts and large ones, and pro-
vision could also be made for prompt action during the re-
cess of the Legislature.

"Secret research" should not, however, be permitted to
become the Trojan Horse that may be used to embarrass
future budgets of the State with commitments, expressed or
implied. House Bill No. 26 copper-rivets the present inde-
fensible policy.

7. Members should ask themselves a few questions about
paragraph (d): How many of the Delegates and Senators