The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1939-03-17
Merit System For Con-
servation Board
Both Bureaus To Be Placed
Under Civil Service


has contemplated the permanent OPP
Grafton of his proposed autonom-
GUS tidewater and upland game end
fisheries c. mmission outside the
Merit System.
1t is his purpose-and he can do 1t
nv executive order-to see that all
of the minor personnel of the COM
mission that world supervise the
tidewuter commercial fisheries be-
put into the Merit System as soon
as the new conservation unit has be-
come stabilized. Employees of the up
land division would be placed under
the Merit System by the O'Conor
bill.
In fact, the Governor said, the
State Law Department already has
drafted. for submission to the Ches-
apeake Bay and Tributaries COM
mittees, an anne. lment that would
give qualified employees of the pres
ent Conservation Commission In the
tidewater division a preferred status
on the Merit System rolls.
This will apply not only to pres
ent employees under the age of 30
years-a limit established in the
O'Conor bill-but will include pres
ent employees above the age limit,
provided they can pass the required
mental and physical examinations.
Meanwhile, there were indications
that the administrator is prepared
to drive ahead with it's program re-
g.rdless of the protest that has been
raised about it by proponents OF
other systems of meeting the States
conservation needs.
Senator Philip H. en-,
st. Mary's) chairman of the Chesa-
peake Bay and Tributaries Commit
tee. said the O'Conor bill would set
up the tidewater commission OF
practical watermen" to supervise
commercial fisheries.
He estimated that there would
not be mere than five votes against
this bill in the Senate.
In the House, Delegate p. Elliott
Burroughs (Dem., Wicomico), chair
man of that body's Chesapeake Bay
end Tributaries Committee, predict
ed 2la to / victory for the O,Con-
or tidewater plan In the lower
chamber.
The administration strategy, form
all indications, appears to be laid
along the lines that a test on the
tidewater measure would insure pas
sage of the bill to establish separ-
ate upland game and fisheries COM
mission composed of sportmen who
would receive only expenses for their
services.
The bills setting up the sportmen's
group to look after preservation OF
upland game and sport fishing are
in the Senate and House Committees
on Fish and Game.
The House Judiciary committee
has before it a bill that was drafted
by the Outdoor Life Federation
and sponsored by thirty members of
the House called for the appoint
ment of an unpaid commission OF
seven men as the policy-making body
for department embracing all con-
servation problems.
The seven-man commission would
hold the power to appoint the ad-
ministrator of the department, to be
known as a director. The director
would choose sub-deparmental
chiefs to supervise bureaus of tide
water fisheries, upland game and
game fishing, research and propa-
ganda.
Under the O'Conor bill, the head
of the tidewater commercial fisher
les would be one of the five prac-
teal watermen selected on the COM
mission.
The administration bill to estab-
lish the upland game and fisheries
commission would give the sportmen
the right to name the administrator
of the department, provided, how
ever, that the first appointee to this
post be the present game warden, E.
Lee LeCompte.
So far as the upland game and
fisheries commission is concerned,
the bill provides that present en-
ployes of the State game division
would be blanketed into the Merit
System.
For all purposes, the State game
division now operates as separate
unit, although under jurisdiction of
the Conservation Commission. 1t is
supported by revenues from hunting
and fishing licenses and fines impos-
ed for violation of the State game
laws.
Under the O'Conor plan, its oper-
ating funds. would continue to come
from these sources and the bill ere
ating the upland game and fisheries
commission contemplates no changes
in this fiscal procedure.
One of the major complaints that
has been made, especially by water
men, against the present conserva-
ton setup is that the personnel in
charge of enforcement contains a
lot OF "deadwood," inefficient and
superannuated employees incapable