 The World of Honored Watch is Lawn Jean. Lawn Jean watches have won 10 World Fair Grand Prizes, 28 gold medals and more honors for accuracy than any other timepiece. Lawn Jean, the world's most honored watch, is made and guaranteed by the Lawn Jean Wittner Watch Company. It's time for the Lawn Jean Chronoscope, a television journal of the vital issues of the hour. A presentation of the Lawn Jean Wittner Watch Company. Maker of Lawn Jean, the world's most honored watch, and Wittner, distinguished companion to the world-honored Lawn Jean. Good evening. This is Frank Knight. May I introduce our co-editors for this edition of the Lawn Jean Chronoscope? Taking the place of Mr. Henry Hazlett, who's on a mission to Europe, is Mr. Donald I. Rogers, financial editor of the New York Herald Tribune, and Mr. William Bradford Huey, editor of the American Mercury. Our distinguished guest for this evening is the Honorable Theodore R. McKelden, Governor of Maryland. In this spontaneous and unrehearsed discussion, the opinions are necessarily those of the speakers. Governor, it's a great pleasure for me to be on the show with you tonight, since I'm one of your constituents from Montgomery County. And I believe you're a Republican governor, aren't you? I am. Thank you very much, Mr. Huey. I'm glad to be here. And you're also an Irishman, I believe, and an Episcopalian. Well, my grandfather came from Belfast, but I'm a Scott. And you use the Republican pronunciation of Theodore Roosevelt, I believe. That's right. It's Theodore Roosevelt, not Roosevelt. Franklin pronounced it Roosevelt, Teddy pronounced it Roosevelt. Governor, I'm interested in your budget. I understand that you have succeeded in cutting back the budget in Maryland. Yes, we eliminated some seven million dollars in taxes, and yet we balanced the budget this year. I think we're the only legislature outside of Utah that had a session without increasing the taxes one cent. How could you do that when only one other governor was able to do it? We did it with a strictest economy and by resisting all pressure groups. Governor, let's... most states know that Maryland also has a large source of income and race track revenue. That's also... you do have that advantage, don't you? Yes, and we walked on that revenue. And you favor that source of revenue. I believe you've even increased it some since you've been governor there. That's the last session of the legislature we did. And you also now have night racing, harness racing in Maryland. That's right. Trotting racing. Trotting racing. Very well attended. And also a source of revenue. Excellent source. Now, are you in favor of additional... I believe Maryland also has a county system for slot machines. A local option system, haven't you? That's right. About three or four counties have their slot machines. Do you, does the state get any revenue from the slot machines? That goes to the counties. Do you favor an extension of gambling in Maryland? Say horse rooms where men can bet on it, bet on races and not be at the track? No, I'm absolutely opposed to that. Governor, I would like to turn a minute to the federal picture. I noticed in a magazine steal that the tax next year will probably approach 30% of individual income, which is considered a very dangerous point. I was wondering what your thoughts are on that matter. Well, I believe that the federal government's expenditures are getting entirely out of bounds. I think we have factories sought to some kind of economy to reduce that or to eliminate that or set it to overline on it. Well, what kind of economies? Where would you cut? Well, there are a lot of places I think you could cut. If you read some of the statements of Senator Harry Bird, you would see where he said you could eliminate 500,000 employees and save $2 billion. And if Harry Bird said it, nobody's challenged it, I think it can be done. Well, I have noticed that since I've read that since last June, a year ago last June, the government's been adding 1,000 employees a day. Do you think that's a good place to save? I think it's an excellent place. Since June the 30th, I think that is 1950, they've been adding 1,000 a day. And I don't believe there is any reason for that. And I don't believe that the Congress should write blank checks for the civil or the military. What the figures in there? Let people see them. Governor, let's come back now for just a moment to the specific things that you've done in Maryland. After all, you have a record now. And I believe that you have some opposition from the school teachers because you vetoed higher salaries for school teachers in Maryland. That's right. Well, on what grounds did you veto? Are you opposed to paying school teachers higher salaries? I'm not opposed to paying school teachers higher salaries. We don't employ any school teachers on the state level except in the colleges and the teachers colleges. The school teachers are employed by Baltimore City and by the counties, and that is where they should receive their pay. You insist that if they get any more money that it should come from the counties or from the local governments and not the state government. That's right, but the state government does give them a lot of money. In our budget, for example, last year, we had $33 million. Why, a few years ago, that's what the whole state budget was in Maryland, $33 million. But you're not in favor of increasing that in Maryland. I believe that the counties ought to. I don't believe that the federal government ought to come into Maryland and take over the schools. And I don't believe that the state government should take over the county schools. They ought to operate them themselves. What's your position on federal aid education? I'm opposed to the federal government getting its foot in the door and dictating to the people of Maryland how we should run our schools. I think it's a tragedy. What about the states that aren't as well off as Maryland that don't have race horses? Do you think that the Mississippi, for instance, what about the children there? Shouldn't they have some aid from the federal government? I think they should have some aid. We're giving them some aid, but I don't believe that we ought to give people as we are now things that they don't want and things that they're not prepared to accept and are not prepared to understand and absorb. That's what we're doing in some of these states. Politically speaking, how does the teachers feel about this when you're opposed to them? Oh, I'm in bad shape. I'm in bad shape. The teachers are up in arms. That is a lot of them. I don't believe all of them are, though. When I was the mayor of Baltimore, I increased the school teachers three times. I think they ought to get more money, but they're coming to the wrong source. They should not come to the state capitol. They ought to go to the county seat to get their increases. Do you believe that state revenues generally should be reduced, that the responsibilities of state governments should be reduced in Maryland? I agree, yes. I think they should be reduced, and I think the county should assume a greater responsibility. That's the only way you're going to keep down taxes. People in the county, they don't mind getting money from the state. People in the state don't mind getting money from the federal government. When it's right in the county and they see the money that they have to spend and pay, they're not going to be swanches for more taxes. The school teacher lobby, the school teacher group, is a powerful group, isn't it, in the state, and a well-organized one. They're powerful and very well-organized. And you think that they'll be opposed to you in future elections in Maryland? I don't believe that all of them will, but I believe some of them. But after I vetoed that bill, I told the counties they should go ahead, and I'm very happy to say that nearly 14 counties have already increased their teachers, and Baltimore City is going to give them a $300 or $400 increase in next year's budget. 14 counties out of how many go? 23. Do you think other states just haven't been as alert, as thorough, and reducing their budgets? Why is Maryland better off than other states? Well, I guess that, I don't know, I don't know, but I guess pressure groups are the same in every state, in Maryland, in Pennsylvania, in Virginia, all around. And I guess... Can you just turn your back to pressure groups? Well, if I think they are wrong, I will turn my back to them. I'm a Republican, and we Republicans only get in every 25 years, and we get in there to straighten out what's been wrong before, and then I guess we go out at the end of our first term. Well, since you're a Republican and so are spoken, Governor, I take it that you expect to have a part in the national campaign in 1952. Yes, I do. You've been active in national politics before. Whom did you support? I supported Dewey and Forty. I supported Dewey when I was chairman of the Republican delegation from Maryland, Chicago, and 44, and I led the Republican delegation for Dewey in Philadelphia, 1948. Well now, I believe that your own record is being generally opposed to military men becoming President of the United States. Does that mean that you do not look kindly toward the candidacy or the proposed candidacy of General Eisenhower? Yes, I believe that a civilian would do and could do a much better job than a military man, although I think General Eisenhower is a great general and a great man. Who do you favor? Well, I like a lot of people. I like Dewey, of course, but I'm sure that Dewey isn't going to run anymore. I like Dirksen. I think he's a great leader down there in Congress, and I like Stassen. There are a lot of people that I think Taft is a very competent man. Do you think that economy and government will be one of the principal issues of the campaign next year? I think the economy plus a moral standard for America will be the issue, is my opinion. You are down pretty close to Washington now. Do you think that you speak of moral standards? Do you think the moral standards of the present government have deteriorated? I think they've reached an all-time low in America. Governor, on that, I'd like to ask you this last question. How would you limit the expenditures of the federal government so that the budget can be balanced there? Four things I think I would suggest if I may. Let Congress issue no more blank checks. Let them fit in the figures, whether for the military or the civil. And the federal works, let's take the pork out of the pork well. And the third thing, let's get rid of those bureaucrats. You're dreaming up ways to spend money. And what Harry Bird said, let's get rid of at least 500,000 of those employees and save $2 billion for this country, is what I think. Well, in summing up then, Governor, I believe that you definitely have expressed yourself to be a man of action that you expect to be very active in the campaign in 1952 and that you're generally opposed to General Eisenhower. Thank you very much for being with us, sir. The editorial board for this edition of the Launcine Chronoscope was Mr. Donald I. Rogers and Mr. William Bradford Huey. Our distinguished guest was the Honorable Theodore R. McKelden, Governor of Maryland. A famous American was fond of the expression, let's look at the record. And in judging a man or a watch, the record brings out the facts. Well, let's look at the Launcine record together. The record shows that 38 world fairs and international expositions, Launcine watches have won highest honors, the total 10 grand prizes and 28 gold medal awards. A record unmatched by any other watchmaker. The Launcine record in the competitive accuracy trials conducted by the great government observatories is equally brilliant. Launcine is the only watch in history ever to win first prizes at the four great government observatories of Washington, Geneva, Q. Teddington and Nershatel. By its own record, throughout the world, no other name on a watch means so much as Launcine, the world's most honored watch, made and guaranteed by the Launcine Witner Watch Company since 1866, maker of watches of the highest character. This is Frank Knight inviting you to join us again next week for the Launcine Chronoscope, a television journal of the important dishes of the hour, broadcast on behalf of Launcine, the world's most honored watch, and Witner, distinguished companion to the world-honored Launcine. Sold and serviced from coast to coast by more than 4,000 leading jurors who proudly display the emblem, Agency for Launcine Witner Watches. This is the CBS television network.