Evening star., 1954-10-12

Mcke|din Hits
Byrd Policies
Says Opponent
Was Careless
With Deposits

Gov. McKeldin transformed
Montgomery County today after
launching a new attack against
DR.. H. c. Byrd's fiscal policies
while president of the University
Of Maryland.
The Republican Governor
criticized the Democrat who is
opposing his bid for reelection
for failure to require security on
bank deposits of the university
which totaled more than $4,000
the maximum amount which
the Federal Government auto
matically insures.
Citing a State auditors report
to support his contentious, Gov.
McKeldin asked:
"Is that kind of carelessness
with public funds d. to be
applied to all of the departments
and institutions of the State
government? You can't run
a State government that way.
You can't run a university that
way, either. if you do it prop
erly."
Visits % Communities.
The Governor, showing little
evidence Of the strenuous hand
shaking campaign he has been
waging, was to visit % Mont
gomery communities in q 20-car
motorcade with local Republic
can candidates and officials.
At Laytonsville he was met by
a group Of about so persons who
gathered on the lawn of the
home of Mrs. Allison Taylor and
Mrs. Mary Allnutt. AS coffee
was being served Mrs. Allnutt re-
marked that she thought the
Governor was a good hymn
singer.
At the Governors suggestion,
Mrs. Allnutt sat down at her
organ and the Governor sang
"Blest Be the Tie That Binds"
Rollins Joins Singing.
His running mate, Attorney
General Edward D. E. Rollins,
also sang.
Last night in a Baltimore tele-
vision speech he accused DR..
Byrd, and a little band of self
seeking political manipulators"
of trying to scuttle Maryland's
12-year road program in a des-
perate bid for political power.
Without facts or figures to
support his statements, he would
ravage, in the public mind, the
sound financial structure on
which the l2-year program is
based. the Governor said" He
forgets that you, the people Of
Maryland, know the program
and its purpose.
with his typical and Oft
demonstrated lack of respect
and understanding of Maryland's
citizenry, he seeks to cast. suspi-
cion on the tunnel project by
attacking the efficient practice
of engaging skilled consultants
of established integrity on tech
nical phases Of planning. prepa-
ration and construction.
Sees Political Desperation.
But, as the roads we build
will stand the tests of tomorrow's
great traffic-as the tunnel will
weather the wear of Patapsco's
waters-so we and our programs
of progress will, with your good
help, withstand the wild blowing
winds of one mans political
desperation"
MIR. McKeldin said Maryland
had only patchwork roads and
only promises to improve them
when he became Governor. With
public support, he said, his ad-
ministration launched its roads
program. At that time, he added.
the State Roads Commission and
engineers found that $3.50 Of
Maryland's 4,736 miles of State
highways had been allowed to
lapse into a state of obsoles-
cence."
He said a 12-year plan was
carefully drawn to meet these
needs and explained the details
of financing this $3.50 million
plan. The program was out
lined in detail to the Legislature.
enacted and set in motion, Gov.
McKeldin said.
Sees Progress.
II am happy to report that
the motion is good" he added.
1--WE have, up to now, placed
under contract or advertised for
bids 435 miles of highway and
bridge construction at an
estimated cost of $50 million.
"By the end of December, the
total authorization for construc-
ton will be about $78 million.
There will be, in addition, au-
of $14 million for
rights of way and engineering.
This is real progress"
Viruinio u. Center