478 State Papers and Addresses

BOARD OF NATURAL RESOURCES MEETING

State House, September 15, 1941
Annapolis

MAY I at the outset of this assemblage express my sincere appreciation of
the willingness of the gentlemen who have accepted service on the newly
created Commission and Boards having to do with the administration of the
natural resources of our State, and who have taken the time to meet together
here today? In these troubled times of our National Emergency, I can well
appreciate that it is not an easy matter for you to find such time from your day-
to-day occupations and responsibilities to render this service to your State.

It is owing to you, who have given evidence of your readiness to serve
the State, that I make clear the attitude of the State Administration in this
important connection. My sole purpose is to see that nothing interferes with
intelligent and long-range planning so that the interests of the present and
future generations of Maryland citizens will be enhanced. Therefore, no out-
side consideration will be allowed to hinder the movement now underway to
accomplish worthwhile results in regard to the conservation of our natural
resources.

For your convenience and in order to expedite the organization and
functioning of the Board of Natural Resources, it appeared to be desirable to
hold the organization meetings of the newly created Commissions and of the
Board on the same day here at the seat of our State government. It seemed
appropriate also for me to take advantage of this occasion to sign, on behalf
of Maryland, the Eastern States Marine Fisheries Compact this afternoon and
thus to make of this fifteenth day of September 1941, a notable occasion for
the cause of Conservation.

Furthermore, while so many of those who have an official relationship
to some aspect of our conservation administration, or else by reason of their
deep interest in this matter, were assembled, it was suggested that you might
all wish to be present at the opening of this official meeting of our Board of
Natural Resources. For my part, I am glad to take advantage of this oppor-
tunity to express my own convictions regarding the very great service which
this Board is in a position to render the State.

Most of you are quite familiar with the very considerable discussion con-
cerning the manner in which our conservation administration should be or-
ganized, which has taken place over a period of some years, not only here in
our legislative halls, but also by civic organizations, sportsmen's groups, the
commercial fishing interests and in the editorial columns of our newspapers.
As you will also recall, the voters of our State have had the occasion to ex-
press their opinions on this question through the ballot box. All of this I
consider to have been fortunate for the State.

The legislation establishing this Board was the outgrowth of this public