Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-31

The bill Goes not Siolate or usurp
state authority, il merely supplements
state authority by aiding the en-
forcement Of state opinion expressed
III State Legislative enactment Il
viii not prevent the Transformation
Of bass caught or carried by mdiyid-
uaIs for their own use under the liiui.
t;ttiou made by the state where pro
cured
1T Will strengthen the laws Of any
State wherein the taking Of bass com
mercially is prohibited. III some States
where such q law now exists. its eff
feet is nullifled when black bass are
shipped out in barrels with rough
| fish ar the top and bottom and the
bass in between.
The lakes. rivers and streams
where these fish are found are pub
| lie property, open to the rich and poor
! alike. This is not necessarily a
| sportsman's bin. it is for the rich
and the poor who fish; il is to pre-
serve for those who come after Us
| The things which We have enjoyed.
This bill was referred 10 the Inter
state and Foreign Commerce commit
tee and was favorably reported out
and placed on the House calendar
This bill is known as the BLACK
bass protection act" Under the
terms Of the act it shall he unlawful
to ship. transport. or carry. 10y any
means Whatsoever from On" state,
Territory or District, 10 or through
another State. Territory or District,
or TO or through any foreign country.
any large mouth bass or any small
mouth bass intended for sale. barter.
exchange. or any other commercial
purpose except live bass Intended Tor
stocking or breeding purposes. and
bass caught on hook and line which
are in the actual or constructive pos
session Of the angler catching them or
receiving them as u gift.
The bill further provides that any
person. company, corporation. asSocia-
ton, or common carrier violating the
provisions of the act shall, upon con-
viction thereof. be punished by inc
not exceeding $500 or Imprisonment for
d term of not more~thah six months.
or by both such fine and imprison-
ment for each conviction. -ill black
bass 80 taken, shipped transported.
carried, or possessed contrary 10 the
provisions of this bill shall be forfeit
ed and disposed of as directed by the
court having jurisdiction.
Last Friday morning this column
was called on the phone by q State
game warden OF Virginia and inform
ed that he has just arrested five men
for the illegal catching of black bass
at Occoquan. He said that he had
confiScated 1913 Of these Gamesters,
ranging from to- pounds, ard all
their equipment. This same warden
recently told the writer that he knew
that bass We're being shipped from
Virginia to Washington, Baltimore
and Philadelphia markets. With the
passage of Representative Halves bill
this method Of catching bass would be
stopped, because it would be impos-
sible to ship them out of the State,
and when an example is made OF sev-
eral OF these violators it will deter
others This column would suggest
both fine and imprisonment for such
offenders.
Under date of January 70 the fol
lowing letter was received by this
column:
Your efforts i'll promotion of Tidal
| BASIN fish conservation work surely
entities you to the thanks of the Sea
wall Association of Watchfully Wait.
ing Waltons, whether they believe it
or not. l contributed 81 in apprecia-
ton of the project when it was start
ed, and, as an encore of your heroic
performance in what. STRANGELY
enough, turned out to be a difficult
role, I am inclosing my check for
another dollar.
Il would be glad if, by means of
an encore fund, enough money could
be raised to wipe out the piscatorial
deficit, or, at least, to reduce il TO
bullminnow size. Sincerely.
civilian Upton TALBOTT.'
It would be very gratifying to this
column IL an "encore club" could be
formed to help wipe out this balance
The Potomac Anglers Association
will hold another .get-together meet
ing in the auditorium of the Interior
Department next Wednesday evening.
The committee in charge of the meet
ing has announced that it has secured
some exceptionally fine reels to be
shown this time. devoted entirely to
bass fishing. The speaker of the eve
ming will be Hon. J. J. ManloSe OF
Missouri All are cordially invited.