The Chronicle-star combined with the Moss Point advertiser., 1945-07-27
State Needs Pollution Expert

A suit for injunction restraining the Masonte Corpora
ton for continuing its pollution of the ~Pascagoula river sys-
tenn has been filed in Chancery Court, and the first hearing
set for August 8. While awaiting this hearing, we wished to
turn for the moment from our detailed study OF the facts of
this case to some of the more broad and general conservation
needs o. the State of Mississippi, which are borne out by the
issue of stream pollution,
One important fact which energies from careful study
of this question is the need for a qualified and proven pollu-
ton expert on the State Game and Fish Commission staff at
jackson. Neither Director w. L. Dearman nor any Of his
conservation assistants and wardens is a trained specialist
in the basic and increasingly important field OF river pol
luton. The State of Mississippi greatly needs the services
of such a man on this staff.
mission must deal with, but unquestionably it is the biggest
single problem confronting the conservation department.
Moreover, the state, by its own effort to attract industry,
and by a natural economic breaking up and dispersal of
Eastern industrial concentration, is certain to see a great
proportionate rise of its industrial activities. And with this
will come an inevitable increase in the pollution problem
and the threat to our streams and natural resources. This
presents us with the obvious need for a trained chemist on
the staff of the commission.
We are not talking now about some broken-down phar-
macist whose appointment is wangled on the basis of poll
tics, through the politicking of the very plants whose activi-
ties he is expected to referee impartia1y and with a sense
of public welfare. We are urging rather the appointment of
a man with unimpeachable qualifications and character.
Many other states are far ahead of Mississippi in graphing
with the contamination of streams and natural resources,
and certainly on some of these stats we can find some as
sistant with an outstanding record who would be willing to
come to US and back up the state department with his expert
ability and long familiarity with the type of problems this
We most strongly urge Governor Bailey to study these
aspects of the problem and to seek authorization and an
dppIOplldtlOH u III DiIlHB VI SuCn q SpeCldHSL WHEN II
next session of the Legislature meets in jackson. This is one
of those matters on which it might be easy to pass the buck,
in the belief that public interest will die down and the diff
ficult problem will be forgotten. But it is also a matter
which, If tackled with firmness and intelligence by our public
officers, can save natural resources of inestimable value
to the state and its people.
We believe that the manner in which Governor Bailey
and the other officials in Jackson undertake this problem
will be an excellent means by which the average voter can
Judge their size and capacity for public office.
Let us not forget that, though in all the studies of the
census and economic departments, we are found to be a poor
state, we nevertheless possess a sort OF natural wealth IN
the sheer "livabiity" of our geography. 1t is hard for the
economists to show the value of this on paper. But most of
us know its value, and it will be a good thing if we don't
forget it. To many of us, big and little, it Is worth more than
the big-money background of other sections. These rivers
and fields and forests are part of our life, and we mean to
put up a fight for them.
And getting to the purely financial side, let us never
make the mistake of thinking that this business of contain
mating whole river systems with rotting mats of wood fibers
and untreated chemicals which stink and kill out the fish life,
is not going to cost us money. The destruction of the "liva-
bility" factor along these streams, and the increased hazards
to health, are going to cost, and cost plenty. And we will be
very foolish if we let a group of unappreeiative and uncoop-
erative industries, and some negligent and irresponsible
law enforcement public servants" stick us with the bill.
If any one should raise objection to the hiring of an
expert river authority on the grounds of cost, it will sound
to us like economic stupidity.
Though we are keenly interested in conservation, we do
not think 1t should fall to the newspapers of a state to under
take problems for which state departments are specifically
set up and financed. We think there is something unhealthy
in the explanation of public officials of a certain type that
various necessary policies are not enforced because public
opinion" was not aroused. Public servants are presumably
in office to do their jobs, and it is a waste of time and an
inefficient way to run the government if public opinion
has to be aroused every time some intelligent but simple
policy has to be formulated.
In the matter of pollution, we can see that some inaction
of the state officials responsible for this matter has been
caused by their lack of real familiarity and knowledge. They
have had available the reports of a dozen excellent chemists
over a period of sixteen years, of course, but somehow they
did not seem to feel obligated to act on these reports since
they were made by outside men"-such as the foremost
experts of the u. S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
And in order to plug this loophole by which our officials
have constantly found an "out" when faced with dire need
for action, we urge the appointment of a qualified pollution
expert to the staff of the State Game and Fish Commission.