Evening journal., 1921-02-24
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY "a, 1921
DELAWARE RIVER INDUSTRIES AND DELAWARE
RIVER FISH.

RE the nsh in The Delaware river and its tributaries,
which require reasonably pure water which TO
hye and thrive OF greater importance than The great
industries which border those streams and, largely OF
necessity, polute their watersY
That question which confronts The people OF Della
Of eastern Pennsylvania and Of western New Jersey
II must be answered because Of wemeant, but inn
practical propaganda which being resorted TO by per
who profess TO think that the interests OF the sh
and those OF the comparatively few persons the upper
REACHES Of the Delaware who depend upon fishing for
livelihood are OF greater importance than the interests
.of the hundreds OF thousands OF and women who
live and thrive because Of the existence OF the many indus
trial plants, with incidental and inevitable pollution Of
the streams
on The upper Delaware there are few hundred men
who depend upon fishing for a livelihood Their total
Investment probably amounts TO less Than quarter
Of million dollars.
Within that same territory there are hundreds OF
thousands OF men and women who depend upon the in
dsriai plants for livelihood there are tens Of thous-
ans Of commercial establishments which depend for their
existence upon the millions Of dollars which those men
and women make and spend while the capital invested
In the industrial plants which drain into the upper Della
ware and its tributaries runs up into the billions
" course, The ideal situation would be for the cities
towns, villages and industrial plants to dispose of their
waste in such manner that not particle Of A. solid or
liquid would fnd its way into the upper Delaware or any
OF its tributaries and that the waters be left as fresh
English explorers passed hroush the capes and mad,
their way up to the present sites OF New Castle VIII
ininston, Chester Philadelphia Camden and Trenton
But ideal situations seldom in harmony with praot-
cal problems which must be met and solved: therefore
the Delaware river is polluted. It viii continue 10 be
polluted despite the disastrous effect upon the nsh and
the strenuous objections OF the fishermen and certain
volunteer propagandists.
II is unfortunate that this is true but its truth must
be apparent to all persons who have watched he indus
trial development OF the Delaware river during the past
twenty-five years and who picture what the Delaware
river valley will be twenty-five years hence
Even The fishermen must admit that fishing as A bus-
ness has been crowded out in the upper Delaware b,
infinitely bigger and more important businesses which
makes an Infinitely greater contribution 10 human happi
ness and wei-beng in the course Of one year than IN,
fishing business in that section made since the Della
ware river first discovered.
lt is another case OF the survival Of the nuest II 4
something that will persist Those who are not read,
to accept It must their boats and their nets dow
the line and operate in the broad waters OF the Delae
bay, whaoh are beyond the present pollution zone
Oven II that part Of the polsution which is unneces
sary from practical point OF be done away with
there sth will remain enough 10 make fishing in IN
upper Delaware improbable to the fishermen and nos
sbly dangerous to the consumers Of the FISH which tbe,
markets.