Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-08-09
SUNDAY FISHING
TO BE CHECKED
DIR. Kalbfus Gives Plain No
tice to People Down the
Susquehanna River

Notice that the State Game Com
mission proposes to vigorously en-
force the law forbidding fishing or
Sunday under the acts of 1915 and
1917, is contained in a letter issued
by DIR. Joseph Kalbfus, secretary of
the State Game Commission, to peo-
pie living along the lower Susque-
hanna river. For some time past
there has been Sunday fishing re-
| ported between Harrisburg and the
Maryland line and recently an arrest
was made at Goldsboro when the
game officers were considerably
abused.
DR.. Kalbfus in his letter, which
| has Statewide application, says:
Il write you to-day in a matter
that may be of interest to some OF
your readers, and refer to the dis
position of some of our people to
do as they please, regardless of the
provisions of law, especially in the
matter of hunting or fishing on the
first day of the week. commonly
called Sunday, contrary to the pro-
visions of law.
THE first section of the game law
| of 1903, provides: There shall be
no hunting or shooting or chasing
of game upon the first day of the
week, commonly called Sunday.
This same provision is found in the
new game law, Section 13.
Section 2. of the act of May 1
1903, p. l.. 353, known as the fish
law, controlling fishing within the
among other things provides, that
no fishing of any kind, or with any
device shall be done by any person
or persons on the first day of the
week, commonly called Sunday
An attempt was made in our
Legislature during the session ol
1915 to repeal this provision. The
bill passed both the Senate and
House, but was vetoed by Governor
Brumbaugh, who, in his message re-
lative to his veto, said he could not
endorse this idea, but served notice
then and there that any bill coming
to him during his term of Office con-
tanning a like provision would re-
ceive the same treatment he was
according this bill in question. So
this provision remains on our books,
and is the law of Pennsylvania after
careful consideration by our chief
executive.
During the session of 1915, bill
was passed making it the duty OF
the officers of the Departments of
Forestry, of Fisheries and of the
Game Commission to help each
other in their work. This bill was
amended by the Legislature of 1917
in a manner that made the officers
of either of these departments, who
refuse or neglect after notice to en-
force the laws relating to either OF
the departments other than the one
to which he specially belonged, liable
to a cash penalty for the first and
second offenses and to dismissal
from State service for the third Of
fense, so that to-day, under the law
of this State, game protectors have
no discretion as to whether they
will or will not enforce these pro-
visions of the forestry or the fish
laws of this Commonwealth, or give
place to some one who will do this
duty, under his oath and the law
That is all there is to it, and SO long
as that provision forbidding hunting
or fishing on the first day of the
week, commonly called Sunday, re-
mains upon the statute books OF
Pennsylvania, 1t is the sworn duty
of those connected with the depart
ments named, to insist that these
laws be obeyed. This new provision
has added several hundred helpers to
the limited force formerly at the
command of the Department OF
Fisheries, and insofar as the officers
of the Game Commission are con-
cerned, they will try to perform their
duties fairly and reasonably and en-
tirely without personal feeling or
animosity towards anyone. We do not
want your money. We are not trying
to persecute any one, but we shall
try to do our duty fairly under the
provision of law, and in accordance
with the thought of our Governor,
and 1 do hope that those disposed 20
either violate this law themselves, or
those who may be disposed to aid
or abett those who may violate the
law, will refrain an the future from
the use of epithets or threats, and
also from attempts to deceive and
mislead our officers, as was the case
at Goldsboro last Sunday. where
two of our officers attempted to en-
force the fish law.
"The southern bank of the Sus-
quehanna river, between Dauphin
and other counties on the river bor-
der, is under the jurisdiction of
Dauphin county. Offenders, when ar
rested, will be brought to Dauphin
county for trial. Section "a of the
aforementioned fish law, among
o.
may be made without warrant when
offenders are caught in the act of
violating the fish law. Officers are
directed to arrest on Sunday, or on
a holiday, in which case the person
or persons arrested shall be taken
before the proper officer and pro-
ceeded against on the first lawful
day following the arrest and such
person or persons so arrested on
Sunday may be imprisoned until the
proper time for herring the case. 1t
is not our desire to put anyone in
prison. Section 25 of the same act
among other things, provides that
any person who shall by threat
menace or force, or in any other
manner, attempt to deter or prevent
any fish warden, or any person au-
thorized to make arrests for viola
ton of the fish laws, from enforcing
or carrying into effect any provision
of this act, or who shall resist ar
rest or the seizure of boats or nets
illegally used, shall on conviction
thereof, as provided in Section 27 of
this act, be subject to penalty OF
one hundred dollars, or in default OF
payment of such fine shall be COM
mitted to the county jail for period
of one hundred days.
"The violent and abusive language
used by certain individuals at
Goldsboro last Sunday towards our
officers when they arrested a man
caught In the act of fishing on Sun
day, together with other words used
to intimidate or prevent these Of
ficers from doing their duty, in our
opinion, came perilously near u
violation of the provisions of this