The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1946-03-07
II. {. Wildlife Federation
Wants Separate Dept. Made

RfALE1(If1-ln6 NOTLn OdIOIllld
Wildlife Federation, incorporated,
has reaffirmed its determination
to sponsor a new state depart
ment of game and fish to be fl
nanced entirely from hunting and
fishing licenses and to be run by
persons who have a definite in
terest in the states wildlife re-
sources, President P. K. Gravely
of Rocky Mount, said today in 2
prepared statement which pulled
no punches in the present wildlite
controversy:
President Gravely also empha-
sized in his statement on fedora
ton policy that his organization
is having no part in the proposed
game scarcity and shortened sea-
son proposal. of the state depart
ment of conservation and devel-
opment.
Gravely recalled that just be-
fore the federation's annual meet
Ing in Greensboro last month
Governor Cherry made some re-
marks to the department of con-
servation and development board
which newsmen interpreted as an
expression of opposition to the
federation's separation proposal.
Denying that he had taken such
a stand, Governor Cherry was
quoted as saying that Il told the
board no such thing; merely
pointed out to the board that seq
regation is not the answer but
that cooperation will bring re-
suits"
s'There is a great difference in
the meaning of segregation as
ordinarily used" commented
Gravely, land the word 'separa-
ton as it has been used in this
issue. Separation has been used
to refer to the wildlife fedora
tons plan to remove the game
and fish program from its present
status and to elevate it to a full
fledged state department, to OPP
crate with and pull alongside all
the other state departments"
'Segregation as ordinarily used
means to take away and set apart
from. Neither the Wildlife Fed
Grafton or the huntsmen and fish
ermen want to set up new de-
partment of wildlife resources
and then segregate it from other
state departments. They want
this new department so that they
can accomplish effectively the
very thing that Governor Cherry
says is prerequisite to success
cooperation. They want this de-
partment which, let me remind
you again, they are willing to fl
nance without asking the general
taxpayer, for one penny in order
that they may cooperate ettec-
lively with other official groups
and agencies, including the for
estry and parks division of the
department of conservation and
DEVELOPMENT, the Department OF
Agriculture and the Soil Con-
servation Service"
Reiterating that fishermen and
hunters do not want segregation
but machinery which will permit
effective cooperation, Gravely
affirmed that there will be no
question about the cooperation OF
hunters and fishermen once a de-
partment of wildlife resources IN
which they have confidence has
been set up.
s'Those few people who are OPP
posing the federation's plan for a
separate game and fish depart
ment," Gravely asserted, seem
to think that the hunters and fish
ermen should be satisfied with
the status quo and should coop
crate. To cooperate with the
present system would be like cut
ting their own threats and would
eventually lead to complete stop
page of hunting and fishing"
Much publicity has been given
to the Departments five-year
game and fish program. The
Wildlife Federation takes the po-
ton that if the program accom-
hing worthwhile the
IS members will
because of past
nances hunt