Evening star., 1950-02-09
Oyster War
Peace Plans
Being Studied
Maryland Officials
Guests of Virginia
At Fisheries TuIks
By J. |. MichoeI
Stor Stoff Correspondent

S'of oiI1II correspondent
RICHMOND, Feb. "a move
for peace on the Potomac River
gained considerable headway here
yesterday.
Here to help write an end to
150-year-old ''oyster wars" a
Maryland delegation received a
warm welcome and official honors.
Later conference with Virgin
ians ended on a note of hope and
harmony.
Debated after the Marylanders
had been guests of Gov. Battle at
a luncheon in the executive man
sion was plan to settle the
quarrel by divorcing Chesapeake
Bay and Potomac River conserva-
ton problems.
At the close of a two-hour meet
ing, Maryland State Senator l..
Harold Sothoron, Democrat, Prince
Georges, said:
Near Solution.
AT last, we are on the right
track and heading toward a solu-
ton"
Senator Sothoron went to Vir-
ginia as the personal representa-
tive of Gov. Lane.
His conclusion was unanimously
Endorsed by conferees of both
States. Senator Harry T. Phoe-
bus, Republican. Somerset, went
further. He said "if we really
want to settle the question the
answer is before U.S."
Others in the Maryland delega-
ton included Senators James B.
Monroe, Republican, Charles
County, who originated the "di-
vorce" ideas: Louis L. Goldstein,
chairman of the Senate Chesa-
peake Bay and Tributaries Com
mittee, and Paul j. Bailey, Re-
publican. of st. Marys.
House Members Included.
House members included D.
Floyd Brinsfield, chairman of the
House Bay and Tributaries Com
mittee; Oliver R. Guyther and
Joseph A. Mattingly, Democrats,
OF st. Marys; John w. Hall. Re-
publican. of Calvert. and j. Frank
lin, Republican, of Charles.
Also in the Maryland group were
David H. Wallace, chairman of the
TideWater Fisheries Commission
and Wayne Hydecker, chairman
of the Atlantic States Marine
Fisheries Commission.
Norris Greeted Conferees.
At the capitol the delegation
was greeted by Senator Robert o.
Norris of Lancaster County and
Delegate Charles F. Unruh, West
County. Mr.. Unruh
sponsored four bills embodying the
separation principle. The meas-
ures were approved by the House.
Monday and are now before the
Senate Fish and Game Committee.
Charles M. Lankford, jr., State
commissioner of fisheries, and As
sistant Attorney General Henry j.
Wickham also joined the group
along with John E. Mayo. a
Colonial Beach attorney. Mr..
Mayo drafted measure used as
the base for the Unruh bill.
The Virginia Governor has in
dorsed the Unruh bill "in prin-
ciple." He will be asked to confer
with Gov. Lane, Senator Monroe
said, with view of helping
legislators reach an agreement"
Amendments Suggested.
One OF the four Unruh bills
discussed yesterday would set up
a bi-State commission with broad
powers over Potomac River oyster
ing. Another would permit lin-
tied hand dredging. The others
would tighten Gull laws and i'm
pose a tax of S cents bushel on
oysters taken from the river.
Several amendments to the
measures were suggested, all of
which Senator Norris called ad-
ministrative in nature. If finally
approved by Virginia, the bills
must have Maryland concurrence
before they can become effective.
Changes proposed yesterday
will be incorporated in new drafts
of the Unruh bill. The measures
will be held up in the Virginia
Assembly pending a study by
Maryland legislators.