Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-17

TINE District Of Columbia Chapter
of the Izaak Walton League
of American will hold its month
Il ly meeting tomorrow night
at o'clock at the Raleigh
Hotel. The president Of the chapter,
DR.. M. Darcy Magee, announces that
important business will come up at this
meeting and requests all the members
who possibly can do so to be present.
One OF the most important questions
is that of pollution. Ways and means
to start an az live campaign on the pol
luton of streams in nearby Maryland,
Virginia and District of Columbia, in
Guiding the Potomac River, will get
under way
1t is hoped to have Henry OMalley,
United States commissioner OF fisheries.
as one of the principal speakers, and
several of the leading fishing enthusi-
likes" what they think of conditions
here and throughout the country.
The president of the local chapter re-
Gently said: You can say for me that
being a physician and knowing the evils
of pollution, / consider it one OF the
biggest problems confronting our Ma
ton today. Pollution is not local con-
dition; it is general throughout the
country. In my trips far and near
have brought it up for conversation
with men of high standing in the con-
servation field of the different States
and the opinion is unanimous that
something must be done and done
promptly and efficiently.
Both Streams Polluted.
"As far as local conditions are con-
cerned I know of my own personal
knowledge and observations that both
the Potomac and Rock Greek are pol
luted. One of the principal objects OF
our local organization is to restore the
streams to their former condition, sc
that the bass and other fish planted in
chem will not be destroyed by the many
waste products that are daily allowed
to enter into the Potomac. I know the
conditions existing in and around Cum
berland and feel sure that the Mary
land Department of Conservation viii
take immediate steps to remedy them.
"Our first thoughts should be directed
to clean up conditions within our owl
city. and when this has been accom-
plished we can go outside and poin
with pride to the work that has beer
done. have appointed committee
on pollution and have made severa
trips with them to have pointed out u
me some of the places that are caus'
ing pollution within the District o.
Columbia.
what is the use of the Bureau o.
Fisheries turning over large and SINAI
mouth bass to b, planted by us II
nearby streams if these streams, or
account of their polluted condition, vii
kill the fish? To my mind this evil i
far worse than purse netting and al
kinds of fish hogs who net thest
gamey members of the bass family fol-
commercial gain. They can make biz
inroads on the number of fish in bott
the upper and lower Potomac and Other
streams, but they can't catch them all
whereas. the polluted water, If condl'
tions are allowed to grow worse. VII
entirely exterminate these gamesterE
and all others fish beside.
Calls on All Anglers.
"I feel that it is the duty of not only
the members of our organization but Of
every angler in the District of Columbis
TO do everything in his power to fur
Their the movement to abolish pollution
I not only look at it from the viewpoint
of an angler, but from the standpoint
of my profession as a physician. l can
visualize the injury to the health OF
our citizens if this thing is allowed to
continue. With the increase of popula-
ton more plants will be required to
meet their wants, and the more plants
erected along the banks of the Poto-
mac the more polluted will become the
condition of its waters if something is
not done to turn these waste products
into some other channel.
"A way must be found to remedy this
condition. It may mean spending Of
thousands of dollars, but what differ
ence docs a few thousand or a few
hundred thousands of dollars mean
when it goes to protect the life and