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NEWS CONFERENCE
GOVERNOR FARRIS BRYANT
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA
FEBRUARY 22, 1962
NEWSMEN PARTICIPATING: Georgiana Bateman, FLORIDA BROADCAST NEWS;
Mike Beaudoin, TALLAHASSEE DEMOCRAT; Vernon Bradford, TAMPA TRIBUNE;
Hendrix Chandler, ASSOCIATED PRESS; Robert w. Delaney, ORLANDO
SENTINEL-STAR; Barbara Frye, UNITED PRESS INTERNATIONRL; Chuck Goetz,
FLORIDA BROADCAST NEWS; David Gretsch, FREE LANCE RADIO; Don
MeikleJohn, JOHN H. PERRY PAPERS; Jerry Mock, FLORIDA TIMES UNION;
Allen Morris, CRACKER POLITICS; Frank Noel, ASSOOIATBD PRESS;
Steve Prentice. FLORIDn BROADCAST NEWS; Stan Tarilton, FLORIDA
BROADCAST NEWS; Rick Tuttle. MIAMI HERALD-ST. PETERSBURO TIMES
SERVICE; Martin Waldron, ST. PETERSBURB TIMES-MIAMI HERALD SERVICE.
GOVERNOR: You might be interested to know that I am going down to
Cape Canaveral tomorrow. General Davis has invited me down to be
there at the time that Colonel Glenn comes in. We will be leaving
very early in the morning to arrive at Canaveral prior to nine A.M.
FRYE: That's too much excitement for you in one day.
GOVERNOR: It really is. We thought it would be appropriate -- you
know I was in California when this shot was made and, or course, was
able to get a fairly remote and objective view or the impact of
this thing on Florida -- I thought it would be appropriate to
proclaim a Project Mercury Day in Florida and ask Floridians to
participate by displaying the United States Flag and engage in a
sort of an individual personal rededication to American ideals.
we are making progress in this winter tourist season. You
probably read this morning that all indications are that this is the
best season in history. I think this is the preper time for
Floridians to remind themselves that the best salesmen for Florida
are Floridians, and upon their courtesy and hospitality depends the
success or next season and the one following that. I wish that they
would -- and I know that they would it brought to their attention --
be even more conscious or the necessity for every Floridian to be a
salesman for the state.
The plans for the Florida Presidential Dinner are developing
very well. Our ticket sale reports are informal but good. One of
the entertainers who has agreed to be there 35that time will be
Frank Sinatra. There is going to be very little entertainment, but
there are going to be a couple of entertainers of good quality and he
will be one of them.
You may have also read something recently about the need
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which some people in Tallahassee feel for a coliseum here. (laughter)
FRYE: You should have taken John to California with you.
GOVERNOR: Oneof my first acts is going to be to get a press aide
for my press aide. (laughter)
CHANDLER: I think he has got too many press aides already.
GOVERNOR: Anyway. as you know, there is a Community Coliseum
Committee of Tallahassee established which wishes to establish liaison
with the state government and I can think of no one better qualified
to be a liaison for the Governor's Office than that distinguished
public speaker (laughter) John Evans. I Just wanted to make that
earth shaking announcement at this time. (laughter)
MORRIS: Does anyone know what he was actually speaking about that
night?
GOVERNOR: Well, I don't know that anyone has reported what he
was talking about. (laughter)
FRYE: This is the first time I have seen him when he blushed.
(laughter)
EVANS: I am declining all comment on that whole situation.
DELANEY: Is he going on that appointment complete with foot in
mouth?
GOVERNOR: Well, I haven't removed it and as far as I know its
still in there. (laughter)
TUTTLE: To what extent are you going to participate in the
reception of Colonel Glenn?
GOVERNOR: That will depend upon General Davis and the arrangements
that he has made. Of course the President will be arriving shortly
after nine and I will do whatever the General has arranged to be
done. I don't know what those arrangements are.
DELANEY: Are you going to make him an Honorary Floridian?
EVANS: We have already done that. All seven of the Astronauts are
Honorary Floridians.
GOVERNOR: That's an fait accompli.
CHANDLER: Would you have liked to be up with Colonel Glenn?
GOVERNOR: I would. I think that would have been a thrilling
experience. I think most of those here, if they live out a normal
life span, sometime will be on a platform in space.
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This trip to California was like a visit to Buck Rogers land
for me. The things that those people not only are planning, but
doing, and they, of course, are but one of a number of companies
in this area, and it is Just beyond conception by the average
layman.
CHANDLER: Does California look on Florida as swiping some of their
industries in getting this Aerojet plant?
GOVERNOR: Well, I tried not to put it on that basis at all. This
is an expansion of the AeroJet activities which is taking place in
Florida because of several geographic as well as other factors
which make it desirable to put it there.
CHANDLER: Is there anything that you can tell us on the award of
the contract for the fuel for this booster? As I understand it, it
is one of the major projects that the companies interested in
Florida are -- has a date been set for the awarding of contracts?
GOVERNOR: I believe it is tentatively scheduled for May.
CHANDLER: Does AeroJet fit into this picture, or is this something
apart from.....
GOVERNOR: No, AeroJet fits very much into this picture. They are
one of those who are bidding for the right or for the contractural
right to construct what is called a lac-inch booster, which is a
larger booster than any now -- that of course, refers to diameter.
On Saturday of last week they had a firing of a loo-inch booster -
solid fuel -- that developed 600,000 pounds thrust. You know area
I believe, increases as the square of the diameter -- so when you
get to lac-inch booster as compared with loo-inch booster, you are
getting into a much larger booster.
CHANDLER: New AeroJet's decision to come to Florida was not
conditioned upon getting any contracts, as I under stand it?
GOVERNOR: AeroJet currently is building a road into its
facilities in Dade County. I heard the Executive Vice President of
the company make the statement in a public meeting there that they
are coming to Florida, period. Obviously the extent to which they
will develop their property in Florida is directly related to their
success in acquiring additional government contracts.
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CHANDLER: Do some other companies which are bidding on this fuel
have options on sites in Florida to your knowledge?
GOVERNOR: Well, of course, Thiakol has one in South Georgia, in
the Jacksonville area. I don't know. Of course Grand Central was
looking and Universal Technical has been looking here, but whether
or not they have optioned, I cannot tell you.
MOCK: Along that line, Governor, there seems to be some confusion
as to Georgia's possible decision on I-95 in the south part of
Georgia hinging on that Thiakol plant. Are you up-to-date on that?
GOVERNOR: Yes I am. I talked with Governor Vandiver about it
and Ralph Powers has talked with Mr. Gill, I believe it is, or
Gillie, the Chairman of their Road Board. Basically what it
amounts to is that Georgia apparently looks on 1-95 as pretty much
a feeder for Florida and while they. of courne, intend to build it
in the overall plan of Interstate, nevertheless they have not given
it any top priority. The establishment of Thiakol would give it
a much advanced, and I think immediate, priority.
FRYE: What is that?
GOVERNOR: T-H-I-A-K-O-L.
MOCK: Now two different sources say that this decision might
come this year or next year. According to that do you know when
this plant might. . .
GOVERNOR: No, I don't.
CHANDLER: Well, Governor, isn't there going to be an early award
on this fuel booster? Aren't they taking bids you say?
GOVERNOR: My vague recollection is it was April or May, but I say
Nay because I know it is at least by May -- it may be before then,
but if I had a multiple choice I would say April or May, is what I
was told.
CHANDLER: Is this great big tourist season being reflected in
the State Treasury to your knowledge?
GOVERNOR: I think you are going to find that at the end of this
month that the increase in the general revenue over a year ago --
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and this is particularly true in sales tax -- let me limit it to sales
tax because I remember the figures better -- but the increase in sales
tax over the same month a year ago is going to be by far the greatest
increase that we have had to date. I don't nean by .003 increase --
I mean by far the greatest increase to date. I would not be
surprised to find the increase to be as much as ten percent over a
year ago. I hope it will be.
TUTTEE: Do you think that will aid -- increase your hopes that
during the next five months therefore, Florida will be able to
produce that eight per cent?
GOVERNOR: I don't have any question about it in my own mind, never
have.
TUT'ILE: It will be done?
GOVERNOR: I think it will. Obuously, when I say I don't have any
question, it's all speculation, but it is my conviction, nevertheless.
FRYE: On your Canaveral trip -- are you planning to fly down and
participate and fly right back?
GOVERNOR: Yes, ma'am.
EELANEY: Governor, recently the home of one of thseditors of the
Miami Herald was bombed in Dade County. Has your office investigative
staff had any occasion to look into that?
GOVERNOR: I don't think so. I don't know of any activity. Mr.
Jamison is not here today, and I haven't talked with him in about a
week, but I don't know of any participation by my office in it.
DELANEY: You were aware of that incident?
GOVERNOR: I read it in the paper.
UELANEY: Do you have any comment on it?
GOVERNOR: Only the obvious comment that it was a regrettable and
deplorable thing and if my office was called upon to attempt to
apprehend the people, if there was any reason to, we would do
whatever we could. That's not our function but...
DELANEY: There isn't any particular need for your office to go
into it?
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GOVERNOR: No, it is a straight police operation. I don't see any
need for the Governor's Office, we are not a police office.
KEIKLEJOHN: Governor, have you had any further contact with the
Palm Beach County Grand Jury?
GOVERNOR: No, sir. I haven't had any contact with the Grand Jury.
You say further contact, I don't believe I have had any.
MEIKLEJOHN: Wrong word.
CHANDLER: Governor, almost a year ago you named a couple of
committees to work on the problems of the cities, and those committees
had a couple of meetings and then I think decided to wait until this
year perhaps to get into their real business. Are there any plans
for meetings of these two groups?
GOVERNOR: I can't tell you without talking to Mr. Kidd. I have
talked with Mr. Kidd within the last two weeks about the activities
of this committee, but their schedule, I don't know.
CHANDLER: You plan for them to do quite a bit of work before the....
GOVERNOR: I certainly hope so. They are going to have to get on the
ball. I don't mean to say they haven't been on the ball, I mean
there is not much time left and if we are going to get concrete
recommendations out of them there is going to have to be considerable
activity between now and ....
FRYE: Governor, the Legislature pasaed a bill authorizing the
Cabinet to do some reorganization in the Executive Branch of
government. Have you done anything on that?
GOVERNOR: Well, of course, we have attempted and we have. I
have been anxious to transfer some or the activities of the Motor
Vehicle Commission to the Florida Highway Patrol. I feel that the
financial responsibility functions should be transferred, but I
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1 *3 has better review that, because at the moment
it is not clear in my mind. we have certain recommendations and do
have under study certain changes. Among ourselves we have discussed
the possibility of some inter-Cabinet changes.
FRYE: The bill, I believe, gave you the authority to effect some
GOVERNOR: Oh yes.
FRYE: It also asked for recommendations to the Legislature for
consolidations.
GOVERNOR: We have not done a Job there. No ma'am.
FRYE: Do you plan to?
GOVERNOR: Well, I ought to. I have been visiting with a few
Legislators in the past several weeks, when I ran across them,
concerning the development of the l93 Legislative program, and this
certainly ought to be one of the phases of preparation.
TUTTOE: Back to this tourist movement for a moment. Do you think
it is capable in itself of putting off the seemingly increasing
threat of new taxes?
GOVERNOR: There is no question about it. If the economy continues
to grow as apparently it will there will be no occasion for new taxes.
MORRIS: Governor, the Florida Show Case in New York will have its
first anniversary on Saturday. Do you believe the Show Case has
contributed to the present tourist boom?
GOVERNOR: Well, I think it is impossible to gauge. let me Just say
that the Show Case has exceeded our fondest expectations in every way,
not only in the volume of traffic and the apparent reception it's
received, but also in the cooperative effort by Chambers of Commerce
all over Florida. With the Show Case they have been eager to parti-
cipate and have taken much of the burden of putting on displays there
that have been such a great attraction. I can't help believing with
a quarter of a million people walking through that Show Case and
seeing Florida at its best in December, that it would not have some
impact, but, of course, I have no way of gauging.
WALDRON: How many tourists are in Florida this month, do you know?
GOVERNOR: No sir, I don't. I would assume that there would be in
excess of a million. If we achieve better than 12 million we've got
to do better than a million a month and this would be the best month
and, therefore, it better be better than a million.
GOVERNOR: Thank You.
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