Evening star., 1947-04-05
New Two-Sfate Group;
Plans 10 Begin Work
On Oyster Pact May |
By Jones BirchfieId

A special commission composed oi
representatives of Maryland and
Virginia had before 1t today the
task Of resolving difficulties that
have arisen between the States over
enforcement of oyster laws in the
Potomac River.
Organized. yesterday at historic
session at Mount Vernon. the COM
mission will revise compact that
has existed between Virginia and
Maryland since 1785, four years be-
fore the Federal Constitution was
adopted.
81 Goolrick to Head Group.
Former State Senator G. O'Cono,
Gool-ick of Fredericksburg, who was
unable to attend yesterdays sessions
of the present commission because
OF illness, will head the body. Maj
Robert N. Archer of Bel Air, Md.
is vice-chairman,. and David H
Wallace, executive secretary of the
Maryland Tidewater Fisheries Com
mission, is temporary secretary.
The commission Is expected to
hold meeting about May l, prob
ably in Baltimore, to begin the
actual work of revising the COM
pact.
Under the original document,
Maryland's ownership OF the Po-
tomac River was recognized, and
both States were given fishing rights
in the river. Provisions were made
for control of the river by joint
legislation.
In 1884 Maryland and Virginia
passed concurrent legislation pro
viding that violators of the fishing
laws be tried by the courts of the
State of which the violator was a
citizen. Virginia officials claim that
law passed by the recent session
OF the Maryland General Assembly
providing that Virginia violators
caught by Maryland patrol boats be
tried in Maryland courts, is an alb
rogation of the original pact.
Loss Of Resources Feared.
On the other side, Maryland
claims that Virginia officials wink
at violations Of the oyster laws by
watermen from their State. and
that without rigid enforcement of
the laws the States valuable oyster
resources in the Potomac may be
lost.
Opening yesterdays session, vir-
ginia's Gov. Tuck, who visited
Mount Vernon for the first time
pledged his support to the fair
and firm enforcement OF all laws
seafood and others" The Cover
nor. said any differences which ap-
pear. to exist between the neighbor-
ing States will be settled, since vir-
ginians are jealous that the sea
food resources be preserved.
Gov. Lane Of Maryland, whose
arrival for yesterdays session was
delayed because the State yacht Po-
tomac's anchor was fouled by a
submerged tree at its mooring of
Quantico, described the compact
as proof of the friendship that has
existed between the two States since
the Revolution. Unlike the, vir-
ginia Governor Mr.. Lane was IA
miliar with the Potomac shrine.
Tracing the history of the Mary
land Virginia compact, former Vir-
gi11ia State Treasurer w. Tayloe
Murphy, a member of the commits
sion, said the agreement of the
two In 1785 formed a cornerstone
of the Constitutional Convention
held at Philadelphia in 1887. 1t
marked the beginning, he said, OF
the job OF welding the 13 colonies
together into the Federal Union.
Law to Be Enforced.
After making a thorough study
of the enforcement problems facing
the States, the special joint COM
mission may make recommendations
for revisions. These could be pre-
sented to the Virginia General AS
sembly at its regular session next
January, but would jhave to await
action by Maryland until the next
regular session Of the Legislature
two years hence. officials consid-
cred it doubtful that a special ses-
sion would be called to make re-
visions
Meanwhile, Maryland's boats will
continue to enforce the new State
law and will bring any Virginia
oystermen found violating Potomac
provisions to the Maryland courts.
Edwin WarfeId, jr. Maryland
Tidewater Fisheries commissioner,
predicted that the new law would
remedy enforcement problems in the
Potomac and would help preserve
the vanishing oysters.
In addition to Mr.. Goolrick and
Mr.. Murphy, the third Virginia
member of the commission is Mayor
william D. Williams Of Colonial
Beach.
Maryland commission members, In
addition to Maj. Archer, are S. w. G.
Webb and William Hilgenberg.