Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1933-01-09

TINE passing Of Calvin Coolidge,
thirtieth President Of the United
States, recalls to Rod and Stream
an incident which took place at
the White House during his second
term in Office. When the bathing
beach was discontinued at the Tidal
Basin, the writer thought it made to
order for a bass pond. So did Glen C.
Leach, chief of the division of fish
culture of the United States Bureau of
Fisheries, and we sought the approval
of the Secretary of Commerce, Herbert
Hoover Mr. Hoover told me he thought
it an excellent idea and wished us
success in our undertaking. It then
occurred to me that the President of
the United States might be attracted
by fishing spot so near his residence,
and I suggested to j. Russell Young,
who covers the White House for The
Star, that he mention the matter to
President Coolidge. Later in the day
Russ reported back: II placed the mat
ter before the President and he informed
me that he thought fishing was a sport
for the youth of the country, and did
not think much of grown-ups spending
their leisure time in such a manner"
THE STAR published the story. 1t
i was published by nearly every
paper in the country in the news
columns and editorially. The cartooniSts
took it up and so it went the rounds,
being vigorously protested by the anglers
of the country. That year the President
spent his holidays in the Adirondacks,
and, under the personal direction of Col.
E. w. Starting OF the Secret Service,
warm friend and bodyguard of the
President, took up fishing as relaxa-
ton, and soon became a confirmed
addict. The next Summer, when he
visited Wisconsin, the President engaged
George Baff, an expert on fishing, to
teach him the art of fly fishing. AS in
other matters in life, Mr.. Coolidge took
his fishing very seriously and mastered
an its varied art. He was particularly
fond of dry fly fishing, but at the start
of his fishing experience used worm
to lure the native brook trout.
TALBOT DENMEAD, in a radio
i address for Rod and Stream last
week, said that Commissioner Swep-
son Earle of the Maryland Conservation
Department reported that in one week
lO,UUU dIlBlClS ia I1-C ndlCAo VA
Chesapeake Bay. He said it has been
estimated that there are more anglers
than base ball fans, foot ball fans, golf
players and tennis players all combined.
Il call this to the special attention OF
those newspapers that publish columns
and pages daily on base ball and foot
ball, in season, and an occasional dis
patch about some big kill or hunting
experience that every sportsman knows
has no foundation in fact, while at
some time grudgingly devoting a little
space once or twice week to rod
and gun column. 1t might pay the
editors of these publications to give
consideration to the 100000 anglers
as readers and assist in conserving our
natural resources for the good of all the
peple by devoting little more space
to the activities of those who are faith
fully laboring to improve our game and
fish laws" Denmead said.
IN presenting word picture of the
i black bass situation in his home
State of Maryland, Denmead said he
doubted If there were more than 200
fishermen in the entire State that
caught and sold black bass and that
they made very little money! How,