St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1897-04-16
Chicago Women in Behalf of Birds.

Chicago Women in Behalf of Birds.
1t is a notable movement that has
been initiated in Chicago by the club
women against the wearing Of plu-
mage OF song birds as ornaments in
hats. In an age when retormers
account the help of women Of inesti.
mable benefit it. is impossible not to
believe that women will speedily by
their own efforts reduce the slaughter
of wild birds for personal adornment.
The proportion Of women heartless
enough to wear birds in spite OF all
argument will yield to the dictum OF
fashion which may be issued by the
far larger proportion Of women with
hearts to be touched by arguments
properly presented. With the wealth
of beauty in fabrics and artificial
flowers, there is absolutely no excuse
for any intelligent, cultivated woman
to use the plumage of wild birds in
the makeup of her hats and bonnets,
and in a comparatively few years we
shall look back with shame on the
past decade when hats and bonnets
ran riot through the plumber of the
bird kingdom.
Three successive meetings were held
in Chicago on the 30th of March, the
31st and the LIST of April by the
South-side Woman's club, the
Woman's club and by prominent
women under the auspices of an
almost defunct Chicago Audubon
society. The South.side society lis,
tened to Mrs. Sara A. Hubbard, Vir.
chand Ghandi, the Hindu philoso
pher, and Ada c. Sweet, who spoke
eloquently in behalf of the birds and
also of the practical measures that
might be taken to prevent the wear
ing OF dead birds. The last.named
speaker emphasized her arguments
by an exquisite bonnet Of velvet rib
bon. jet and v%iolets, in which the
ribbon bows were so fashioned as to
present just the jaunty effect gained
by the use of bird wings. The result
OF the meeting was that many women
went away convinced of the needless
ness as well as the cruelty of the
practice of wearing birds. The meet
, ing of the Woman's club was
addressed alsob by Mrs. Hubbard and
Miss Sweet, and a resolution intro.
/ duced by Miss Sweet was passed that
pledges the club to work earnestly
for this movement. The resolution
, is as follows:
Whereas, the Chicago Woman's
, club is convinced that the reckless
: slaughter of wild birds, which is now
going on to such an extent as tC
r threaten the extinction of bird life
can finally be stopped by the genera
refusal of women to wear wild birds
and their plumage as ornaments OF
trimmings, and believes that such
e action on the part of women can b,
1 secured il they become acquainted
e with the facts which underlie tn,
' traffic in birds and their plumage
D therefore be it
e Resolved, That the Chicago
Woman's club will use its earnest
Efforts to create a settled public
S opinion adverse to the bird-wearini
fashion; and be it further
Resolved, That the club shall
through the proper officials, reques
the Illinois federation of woman
d CLUBS and the general federation o
e woman's clubs to arrange for tn
discussion of the subject of the pro
d lection OF birds at the next state ant
IS national conventions, and all mem
is bers to encourage as best they cal
s. all clubs to take up the matter a
home.
Many members Of the club signe,
a pledge never again to wea
sc plumage to the cost OF life, and tn
1t club unanimously took up the move
a. ment, though many objected t.
signing any such pledge, TIL
y wearing Of ostrich feathers an
u plumes made from feathers c
y. domestic fowl, such use not involvin
is death or injury of the bird, will b
" permitted, as was distinctly state
in the urse Of the meeting at til