Evening star., 1922-01-19
Work MS Comm issioner.


The appointment to the commission
ership came in 1913. and not more
than one or two Of his predecessors
have served a longer term. In 1918
DR., Smith was member of the ca
madam fisheries conference fof the
settlement of fishery questions aris-
ing between the two countries.
In the period between 1900 aud 1921
the commissioner investigated the
fisheries of Canada. France. Great
Britain. Norway, Denmark. Germany,
lands. Japan. China. the Philippines.
Borneo and Ceylon. Most, if not all,
of these were first-hand investiga-
tions necessitating long journeys and
considerable field work.
In this country also DR.. Smith
made many extended trips into mac
cessible regions in order to gain first
hand knowledge of conditions and
problems, and under his direction
whole sections of the country there
tofore without game fish were ade-
quately stocked with desirable spe-
cies. A year or two ago, with a sin
gle assistant from his field service
and the necessary guides. he made a
long and difficult trip through unex-
on horseback and in canoe, enduring
real hardships and meeting with real
adventures.
DIR. Smith has also been president
Of the Biological Society of Wash
ington andi president of the Cosmos
Club, a position held by the first
commissioner, Prof. Baird. He is the
anthnr NJ savera1 hnnkS onH yoany
hundreds Of papers and reports on
technical and scientific subjects con-
nected with fisheries. In fact, he is
one of the worlds most voluminous
contributors to the literature of this
special branch and his reputation
this country.
Political Flare-Up.
One political flare-up, which made
plain DR.. Smiths attitude on the ques.
tion as to whether fish and politics
should mix, occurred in 1913.
In May Of that year Representative
H. L. Goodwin. Of North Carolina called
the commissioner on the telephone
and asked for 100000 shad fry TO,
the Cape Fear river. The latter said
he could not comply with the request
The representative remarked tina,
when a republican was commissioner
he had no trouble getting fish.
Smith replied that politics did no,
enter his Office. Goodwin then said he
was dyed-in-the-wool democrat an6
wanted the shad. Smith asked him
If the shad We're democrats, too.
The congressman tried to have the
commissioner ousted from office. bu,
this Secretary Redfeld declined to do
The real reason the fish were deniec
was because Godwin's section OF
North Carolina refused properly tt
protect the shad, and DR.. Smiths &C
tion was later approved by the boarx
! of fish commissioners Of the state.
Two tributes to DR.. Smiths service
character and attainments occur tt
mind.
'T believe your service for thirty
six years. rising from the bottom &
| the top. in one Of our great scientii,
bureaus, is unique in the history o.
the government wrote Herber
Hoover. Secretary of Commerce, in
recent letter to the. commissioner
| 1.-The whole country is under an OBJ
litigation to you for so long and faith
full a SERVICE"
''Dr. Smith, to mysmind. Is the bes
combination of eminent scientist, goo,
woodsman and good all-round fellow
I've ever met" said a Yankee in tn.
bureaus field service after q, long ant
| arduous wilderness trip the two hat
taken together.