The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-05-06

ticut who still go down to the sea in ships for their daily bread and butter. Quietly, modestly, they live their lives. Through the murk o1 early morning their staunch craft steal their way along torturous channels headed for deep clear wa ters. Their trim little homes, clus- tered about the inlets, look out up- on the stretch of blue that makes il impossible to walk the few miles that lie between the Connecticut Shore and tn eplump hills along Long Islands north shore. And well do these hardy fishermen know the ups and downs of that hidden ter rain beneath the waters of the Sound. Daily, in fair weather and foul, their nets feel the bottom and come up bulging with a harvest of sea- food. And strangely enough the food they haul in has far more fancierS in New York City than in their own Connecticut. In the esti- nation of gourmets in the great metropolis to the southwest no salt water fish equals in fine flavor that which these native f1sherfolk ship to the market.
 Connecticut fishermen have never made it point to exploit by bally- hoo their haddock, codfiSh, sea bass, fluke and dab, but just the same, Madam la housewife in New York prefers, indeed insists upon Con- necticut fish and knows it when she sees it. cannot, in fact be fooled about it. We tried, in our clumsy way, to get at the secret and came this near to it-NeW York hauSfrau look fish in the eye and know at once how long it has been out of the water, from whence it halls. An honest fish, we have it from Ston- ington fisherman, is like an honest man. Generally both may be dis tinguished by their eyes. A fish that has been too long on dry land has the saddest kind of eyes, sunken in and covered by a pinkish-blue film. Now Connecticut fish have what may be called bright-eyes-yep, bright up to the very moment they go into pot, broiler or oven.
 They Know Their Fish
 You see, Our Stonington fish, erman explained, i've go out and catch our fish and ship them to the market on the sam day. And then they don't have to go on long trip to get to the New York market. And -beggin' your pardon these New York people get damned mad when fish merchant tries to palm off on them bit of fish that never saw Connecticut waters and has no near-relatives a-livin' in the waters we fish in."
 This is indeed compliment to the fine taste and discrimination shown by New Workers and not such compliment for the folks at home. Of course, there are some of our Connecticut people who ask for and insist having Connecticut fish when they dine out in public or buy it for their own table, but not nearly enough of them have ac- quired the habit. It would mean a lot to our native fishermen to have their wares widely recognized at home All told, about 500 hardy sons of Connecticut wholly depend upon salt water fishing for their bread and butter and then their families number some 2,500 grown ups and not yet grown-ups. These families patronize local merchants, pay state taxes, and local taxes, buy boats, engines, gas, oil and keep man working building more boats, repairing boats, looking after en- zines. And they love their native heath, have might respect for their Maker.
 God Fearing Man
 One evening as we sat in at meeting of the Southern New Eng land Fishermen's Association in Mystic. The session was opened by a raising of hats and caps and a lowing of heads, and presently a voice, deep as old Neptunes intoned a paternoster;
 Most Holy and Gracious Lord
 God, Thou has promised that
 where two or three are gathered
 together ill Thy name Thou wilt
 be in their midst and bless them.
 In thy name we have assembled
 and in thy name we desire to
 proceed in all our doings. Grant
 that the principles of this Asso-
 ciation may so subdue every dis
 cordant passion within us, so
 harmonize and enrich our hearts
 with Thine own love and good-
 ness, that the Association at this
 time may reflect that order and
 beauty which reign forever before
 Thy throne. Amen.
 We couldn't avoid the thought that men who meet under such cir- cumstance.' would be the ones to see that honest fish get into the hands of those who want an honest fish Yet when occasion re- quires it, these God fearing men of the nets can do a beautiful job of rising in righteous indignation. Not more than couple of years ago, beetle-browed racketeers in New York City shipped word to the Con- necticut Salt water fishermen that not pound of their fish would be permitted to reach New York un- lesG trihre nf S0 lnilelt nor vsnsyt4a