Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-06-29

ton, His name Is DR.. Hugh
Mccormick smith His job
Ono; position) is commissioner Of fish
cries of the United States government.
The average Washington fisherman
feels that he is getting much out of
life by now and then casting a hook
and line into the tidal basin as he
leisurely bangles his legs from the
stone wall surrounding that expan-
sive and citihed pond. To take a trip
down the bay and land few big ones
gives the angler material for CONVEX
sation for the remainder of the year.
That is wherein DR.. Smiths fishing
activities differ from other Washing
tonians. His fishing grounds extend
to every county in every state in the
Union. and to as much of the Atlantic
and Pacific oceans and contiguous
waters as he may legally browse
about in,
1t is ella lined that DR. Smith knows
more different kinds of fish than any
other person on earth, And the won
derful part of it is that he knows
them either by their real names or the
outlandish unpronounceable appella-
tions given them by scientific gem
tlemen, who evidently enjoy talking
much more than fishing. on the
walls of DIR. Smiths suite of offices in
the main fisheries building at 9th
street and Maine avenue, can be seen
hundreds OF pictures of bright-hued
fish of designs that would indicate the
Combined efforts of an artist Of the
Cubist- futurist brand and a Washing
ton architect Of the gargoyle period
OF architectural affection.
Waiting fifteen or twenty minutes in
the commissioners outer office, with
nothing but Gsh scenery of that kind
to gaze upon. is rather disturbing.
But when his secretary finally ushers
you into the inner sanctum and in
PRODUCES the commissioner as DIR"
Smith you are decidedly disconnected.
The word doctor" carries many
meanings. When this mild hammered
man looks up from his desk. piled
high with applications for fish, no
man on earth could tell whether he
was sizing up his caller from the
Or fish.
The soaring prices of steaks. chops.
bacon and poultry bring no lines of
worry or disappointment to the fea-
lures of this particular member of
the prolific Smith family. While
others rave about the high cost of
meat DR.. Smith smiles and admon
tshes the populace to raise more fish
and eat more fish. AS proof of the
fact that he practices at least half Of
what he breaches. he estimates that
during the present year he will dis
tribute a total Of 5000. 000. 900 stock
6sh throughout the United States.
Since the close of the war. for some
unexpiainable reason. people every
where seem to be more interested in
fish than ever before in the history
Of the fisheries bureau. 1t is be-
ieved that requests made through
the 435 members of Congress this
year for fish for stocking purposes
will reach $1,000. This means that
through the fisheries department
practically every pond. lake. creek
and river in the United States, from
SoduAOfu, Nt " odH bleSO. Ndlll.,
will be stocked with fish of varieties
best suited to climatic conditions Of
each locality.
The day will ultimately arrive when
the art of fishing will again come
into its own. and that form of health
full and exciting outdoor sports will
supplant more laborious and mirth-
less occupations. If DIR. Smith con-
tinues to hold down that important
Job for few years longer practical.
ly every man in America living I
hundred yards beyond the boundary
lines of any city will be able to slip
out to a nearby pond or creek any
morning and in few minutes catch
q nice mess of fresh fish for the fam
lily breakfast. Let it not be inferred
for single moment that DR.. Smith
Is SO partial 10 the country fishermen
that he is overlooking the millions
of people in the cities whose appe-
titeS become assertive three times
daily. All of the large cities are
either located near the coasts, on the
great lakes or on good sized rivers.
1t therefore becomes necessary to
develop and encourage commercial