Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-23
CREETS FISHERY MEN
President Receives Members
of Congress at White House.
PLAN OF FEDERAL CONTROL
Many Favor It and Some Strongly
Oppose.
DISCUSSED THIS MORNING
Session Was Brief, So That Dele
gates Could Pay Call and See
the Sights.

When the second days session of the
international fishery congress opened here
today the delivery of formal addresses
followed by discussion, in which the dele
gates generally participated was begun
Aside from carrying out the program In
this respect. there was no other business
before the congress at the mornings ses-
sion. An adjournment was taken at noon
and the delegates took luncheon at the
Arlington as guests of the American ish-
cries Society.
The principal function to which the
delegates have been looking forward to
with keen interest is the reception which
was rendered them at the White House by
President Roosevelt at 2:3O O'Clock this
afternoon.
The remainder of the afternoon will be
devoted to visiting various places of in
terest in and about the city. Tonight the
delegates will visit the Library Of Con-
gress, where there will be display OF
fishery literature, assembled especially for
their inspection.
Oregon NJ. Dennis of the Fish and Game
Protective Association of Maryland advo-
Gated federal control over fishing in ne
public waters. Papers were read by DR..
kitahira of Japan on the fisheries of that
country. and by Charles II. Stevens of lie
l
ternational fishery regulations.
beautiful souvenir painting from life
of the Roosevelt golden trout was dis
tributed among the members. This fish
is restricted to YolcomO creek, a turbulent
stream sixteen miles long on the slopes
of Mount Whitney, Cal. and was In I'M
minent danger of determination until
President Roosevelt instigated an inveS-
tigation which has resulted in the pro-
lection of the fish and its cultivation by
the burean q fisheries
An Interstate Commission.
An interstate fish commission on much
the same lines and with the same scope as
the interstate commerce commission.
How's that for a new and radical idea
1t has not been talked much in public,
but it is one of the vitality interesting
topics among the members OF the con-
gress These wardens of game and fish
are having lots of luncheons and junkets,
and are listening to a lot of technical
papers on the personal equation of deep
sea fishes and the inner consciousness of
canned Holsters. But down under the
surface there is problem of states
rights that is causing more thought TO the
members than the latest pattern of fish
jars and whether Atlantic oysters can
be grown in the Pacific.
Each state and section of the country
has its own fish problems that are being
worked out by good men on the ground.
OF course, they are interested in getting
together and finding out what Is being
done in the fish line even with fish that
are not local to their section, but much
wider problem is the federal control OF
interstate and boundary fishing waters
This touches all the states and the coun-
tries bordering on the United States.
The problem is one belonging chiefly to
the American congress fishery, which has
lust closed its session, bat ii touches the
international congress, TOO, Tor TINS gov
eminent and Great Britain have just
agreed on a treaty that divides the hsh-
ing rights of the great lakes down the
center, and does the same for the boun-
darv waters of the ST. Lawrence, the ST.
Croix and Grand lake.
Objection to the Plan.
Formerly the northern border states
managed their own fishing affairs on the
boundary waters, but this move of the
federal government calmly takes all these
matters out of the control of the states
and makes it federal problem. The
treaty has not yet been ratified by the
Senate hut has caused sensation among
tho state fish Wardens and the chances
are that the federal control OF interstate
fishing waters Will follow
This does not appeal to many of the
American members who stand out foi
absolute state rights. but there are many
others who say that the states have
nroved either careless or incompetent in
dealing with the fish problem, and that ii
WIS time for the government to step IT
and control interstate fishing waters as II
controls interstate commerce Ihere were
Same DaDerS on the subject prepared fol
the enlightenment of the congress. but for
some reason they were read by title only
and were filed away not to appear except
| i'm the, transactions Of the congress. where
I.a neODIe
know all about them already and will
never be seen or heard of by the genera
| public.
Such of the fish experts are in favor
| of the federal control of interstate wa
| ters say that there is great and i'm