The Washington times., 1924-07-12

of the Chesapeake bay region are
controlled by the States of Mary
land and Virginia and offer a more
complex situation than the waters
of other States along the Atlantis
and Gulf coasts.
Up to this time the effect of Oil
and oil ,sludge from oil-burning
ships has not been serious, but
with the increasing numbers of
this type of vessel and with reck-
less pumping Of bilges, the fisheries
of Chesapeake bay will soon suffer
from this pollution.
Even up to this time complaints
have been received at the office of
the conservation department that
bathing beaches have become USE
seen floating in different localities
of Maryland waters. Just what
effect this has had on the young
oyster eggs is uncertain, but we
do know that the set of oyster
spat has been less prolific in the
last few years.
The question of control Of OIL
the Capes was put up to the
Solicitor of the United States De-
partment of Commerce, and after
some time an opinion was given
showing that the States of Mary
land and Virginia have power to
prevent the reckless pumping of
bilges into the bay waters. This
opinion is as follows:
my opinion is that States can
legislate for protection of waters
within their jurisdiction against pol
luton, this authority being within
their usual police powers and regu-
lation of commerce or of navigable
waters being incidental.
JAMES J. O'HARA,
Acting Solicitor"
Pending national legislation, it
would seem that the States of
Virginia and Maryland should take
some immediate action to protect
the entire Chesapeake bay from
oil pollution. A careful study of
the situation, however, shows that
it is almost impossible for one or
two States to legislate to control
foreign and coastwise shipping
within their waters. There is no
question but the final solution Of
the problem must be national or
international legislation.
The States of Virginia and Mary.
land could establish three or more
pumping stations, to be located in
Hampton Roads, at the mouth of
the Patuxent river and at the en-
trance to Baltimore harbor, where
inbound ships could pump their
bilges into flexible hose and the
waste oil could be carried to
settling basins on shore through
large pipes.
A second solution would be
large barges in tow of tugs
placed alongside of incoming oil
ships or even inspectors could
be provided for and placed on.
board all oil burning ships on
entering the Capes to see that
the waste oil was not pumped
into the bay.
All of these plans, however,
would involve considerable expense
on the States. Separators to be In
stalled on oil-burning ships may be
the final solution of the problem.
This new device has been tried out
recently with successful results.
Oil pollution, however, has be.
come so important that it is no
longer national question, but an
international one, and resulted in
House Resolutions No. PIG and No.
297 to request the President to
call a conference Of maritime ma.
tons with a view to the adoption
Of effective means for prevention
Of the pollution of navigable waters
by OIL" 1t is understood from
President David M. Neuberger, OF
the National Coast Anti-Pollution
League, that the Secretary of State
has been giving this joint resolution
serious thought, and some action
to that end may be the result Of
a future conference.
1t is suggested, however, that
the general assembly of Maryland
pass a resolution urging Congress
to take immediate steps to enact
the necessary legislation to prevent
oil pollution Of the navigable waters
of the United States.
SwepsOn Earle in an address
before the joint conference on
conservation Mt Richmond, Va,