Evening star., 1949-02-21
Accord Reached
On P an toEnd
Oyster Wars
Maryland, Virginia
Legislators Indorse
Sensible Peace Poet
By J. l. Michoel
Stor Stoff cornsoondent

River "oyster wars"
Final agreement on q propose,
advanced several weeks ago al
Tappahannock, Va. and discussed
further in Annapolis. was reached
at third session here yesterday
Maryland Senators and Dele
gates backing what all the con-
ferees called a sane and sensible
plan. said they would introduce
q bill incorporating its provisions
in the General Assembly.
virginia's representatives said
the bill would be presented to
their legislature early in 1850
and predicted its passage with
no amendments"
Gets Unanimous Approval.
Conclusion of the peace pact
contrasted sharply with declara-
ton of total war" on Potomac
oysters dredgers issued only a few
hours before by the commander
Of Maryland's tidewater fisheries
enforcement fleet.
The pact received unanimous
approval at a two-hour meeting
at a hotel in this resort town,
which for years has been the storm
center of recurring "hostilities'
between the two States.
Virginians at the conference
were Robert O. Norris, president
pro tenn of the Virginia Senate;
Delegate Charles F. Unruh, Kin
sale, and John E. Mayo, a local
attorney representing organized
watermen Of the area. Delegate
w. Tayloe Murphy. a member oi
the Bi.-State Study Commission
who took part in the two previous
meetings, was not at the confer
ence.
Mr.. Murphy. however, previous
ly indorsed the main points of
the plan and his colleagues said
he could be counted on to sup
port it. -.
Maryland Delegations.
Maryland's delegation included
State Senators James B. Monroe.
Republican. of Charles County;
Paul j. Bailey. Republican,. of st.
Marys; Harry T. Phoebus. Repub-
lican. of Somerset. and Louis =,
Goldstein, Democrat, of aGalyert
County. "a B,
Senator Goldstein. who Is chair
man of the Senate Chesapeake
Bay and Tributaries Committee
and a member of the Legislative
Council, said the bill would get
his full support, as did Senator
Phoebus, who came from the
Eastern Shore in a State police
car.
Also at the meeting were Re-
publican Delegates r. Vernon
Cooksey and j. Franklin Winkler,
both of Charles County; Miss
Louise Monroe, Senator Monroe's
sister. who served as secretary,
and Murray E. Ward, a Crisfield
sea<ood packer.
AS finally agreed on, the plan
has as its basis the complete sep
aration of Potomac River conser-
vation problems from similar
questions existing in Chesapeake
Bay or elsewhere.
Three Member Commission.
It contemplates creation OF a
three-member Potomac River
Oyster Commission. with one
member to be named by the Gov
ernor of each State and the third
by the Governors jointly. If the
Governors should be unable to
agree, the President would be
asked to name the third member
The bill will specify that all
three commissioners shall be resi-
dents of tidewater counties.
The commission would be given
broad regulatory powers, includ-
ing authority to open and close
oyster bars as they may deem
advisable. The commission. how
ever, would have no jurisdiction
in tributary waters of either State,
The conferees emphasized that
they were considering no other
waters but those of the Potomac
Other provisions of the proposal
include:
/. Legalization of hand -dredges
no more than 80 inches wide,
which may be equipped with
divers or metal plates intended
to force the light dredge, to the
bottom IN deep water. The COM
mission would prescribe the num-
Der and length of teeth permitted
on the dredge. It would be hauled
in either by hand or by hand
crank or spool" Only one dredge
would be allowed on a boat and
crews would be limited TO, three
Present rules affecting tongipg
with shaft tongs would remain
unchanged.
Hand dredge Licenses.
2. Hand-dredge licenses would
be issued at SIS each only to those
who had taken out hand-tongers
licenses in any Of the three years
1947-48-49, and to captains Of
Virginia boats who had obtained
licenses in any of those years.
3. Patent-tongs, now legal in th'
Potomac, would be outlawed. Pos
session of patent-tongs, and boa
equipment such as masts. boom'
or power~winders would be con-
sidered prima-facie evidence O
dredging. The Maryland delega'
ton said it would introduces a sep
arate bill to make the llse o
patent-tongs illegal In all F0toma'
tributaries of their State, =,
Exempted would be Virgins
dredge- -outfitted boats whose mas
ters have obtained licenses ant
posted bond to dredge oysters from
private beds. N
sno+;o,, would ha ;,Sert o<