Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-07-27
END OF OIL NUISANCE
SOUGHT IN WORLD PACT
Recent Complaints From Ports
and Summer Resorts Prod
U. S. to Action.

WNShinRtcn, July -NVuuk u"",
instructions from the President and
upon request of Congress, Secretary
Hughes has undertaken negotiations
which the government hopes will pre-
vent the further pollution OF national
and international waters by oil-burmng
steamships
rrs, announcement of these nego-
tiations was made at the White House
yesterday Later the state Depart
ment made public certain details regard
ing the prcliminarics OF the hughes pan
and the PURPOSES which the Department
OF State has IN view.
The fact of the pollution is notorious
and came before Congress formally some
weeks ago when JOINT resolution was
passed calling upon the Administration
TO resort to diplomatic processes IN an
effort 20 reach an agreement WIN other
rations upon the question; .,
COMPLAINT IN volume has reached
Washington from beach resorts, from
municipalities where harhors are eoa'eu
over with oil and from individual inter-
.ests to the effect that discharged oil and
scum from oil-hurnlng vessels rs not only
making bathing Impossible at many
points along the coast, but that actual
damage is being done.
Word has reached Washington, Tor
examnlc. that the oil on the Jersey and
Long island beaches is now so thick
that there is no pleasure IN SURF oa'h,
ing at many places. hat IS true OF
those sections also is said To be true OF
the coast as far south as Virginia beach
and rs far north rs Maine.
That Is not all. Information has beer
n n
I'm the Fnuhsh Channel region have beer
rendered unfit for use by oathers, aho
the same applies to some oil inc Meo
fcrrancan summer colonies
Uarhors such as those ot Baltimore
and Philadelphia are covered WIN oil
practically All the time and no meant
are known of getting rid oi IL once J
spreads itself over still waters me 'io'
carries the oil out, but the TIDES aiS'
hiring n hack. ON the ocean shor'
beaches the tides carry the OIL ont alSo
bu, the beach sands are shmed with TN
scum Just the same. Much oil H. IN,
complaints say, never washes ou' VIII
the tidal movements.
The Federal Government is ~ los
10 deal with this problem from ? pureI
domestic standpoint There are mean
of meeting the situation once q snip
within the territorial jurisdiction OF IN
United States. and port rules gnerali
prohibit the discharge OF oil or othc
refuse from ships IN harbors, ont tines
rules appear 10 have been generiiy DIS
regarded
The main trouble is with ships who
are outside domestic lurisdicuoh onc
vessel passes beyond the three-mll
limit. for example, IT may with impum'
cas-, overheard all the refuse " may nav
and IN the case.ef oil the stun eventuaii
washes ashore. >,
Because of the damage To otfHr shlI
and the damage To properties Hneraii
the government rs ANXIOUS 10. nhu
means Of handling the matter from a
international standpoint. MIR, hughes
hopcful that an agreement may
reached with all the maritime NATIONS
which will prevent the discharge OF
from ships under all circumstances, e'
ccpt under storm conditions
But before taking the question u
with the other governments the s'a'
Department will organic uomes'
commission which will study the matte
IN detail and evolve some formula
he presented TO the maritime wor
through Olp.oina,lc Cuhnileis'
-Four Of the executive depart ncnts
the Government, 10y direction OF q
President, will name members Of n
American commission. The Navy ID
partment will put p division Of oper
lions man on that board, the lreasu
Department will he represented by
ruhhc health expert, the DEPARTING
of Agriculture hy biological expe
and the Department of Interior by
official of the Bureau Of Mines.
Sitting with this group will be
cfbcial az the state Department, ~
hans Under Secretary Phillips RecoI
mendations will then be made to Sec,
tarv Hughes, who, after diges'lng the
will ash other powers to take Torn
notice of the matter. Ii Is not unlike
that an international conference v
he called 20 SIT either in Was hlngton
London 70 discuss possible laws or ma
time regulations which will stop the p
tuition OF international waters
The number az oil-burnIng ships bC
here and abroad Is increasing stead
and unless some measure 81 cont
over the pollution Is applied the n
sancc. which is now bad enough, v
increase instead Of abate. Officials ayr
II necessary the Administration v
recommend 10 Congress the passage
more rigid law on the subject lnso
A. American ships or American wat
MAY hc brought within ths range
law. Il - generally agreed that OF
nations will probably have 20 do
same thing II any substantial relief
TO come