Los Angeles herald., 1908-07-24
DEAF TO MUSIC
OF DEVIL BIRD
MAHIN THINKS "S0NGSTER"
ABSURD MISN0MER
NO HARMONIOUS MoDULATioNs
IN PESTS VOICE
Complainant Issues Stirring Manifesto
Regarding stentorian Screams That
Emanate from Amerca's Most
Cherished Warbler

John Mahin, who asked the board
of health Wednesday to suppress II
noisy devil bird"-which the board
has decided is a synonym for hooking
bird-has Joined the society for the
prevention of loud and raucous noises,
of which Carl Unger of Beaudry ave
nue. and Rudolph Bosshard of East
Forty-eighth place are charter mem
bers.
Mr.. Mahin suggests an anti-noise
campaign similar to that begun IN
New York. Referring to the letter he
sent TO the board of health regarding
the devil bird on Orange street Mr..
Mahin said yesterday:
Your readers may imagine almost
anything after perusing the remark
that part of my letter would not look
delicate in print. AS 1 am no ornithol-
ogist, and unable to give the health
board the official pedigree of the
devil bird" L merely Judged>it by ATS
family resemblance, and ascr1bed a
NEUROLOGICAL parentage, namely. Ger
berus and a harpy. In referring TO
the Internal region 1 used the scrip
tural name instead of the prudish H
dash.
However, the above are unimport-
ant matters. The unnecessary noise
nuisance is an important matter. L
am willing to be misQuoted, mtsunder-
STOOD ana TO Sull6T Oh IAlO ObhSA eSAA
noyances that inevitably accompany
publicity Ii 1 can accomplish the
abatement of some of the unnecessary
noises that torture the lives out or
sensitive people.
Now is the time for Los Angeles to
get in line. The campaign against
noise in New York has resulted in laws
that are being enforced; Otner ellles
also are becoming civilized. Alleged
patriots are beginning to show some
signs of sanity on the Fourth OF July.
In Los Angeles q proposition to muzzle
uproarious ROSTERS has been made in
official circles; and The Herald's agita-
ton of the dog question will undouot-
edly lead to a little more quietude in
canine society.
''Permits to shoot certain undesirable
birds have already been granted. Such
permits ought to include devil birds,
mocking birds or whatever they may
be called. They are NOT song birds
A song is that which is sung or ut
tered with musical modulations OF the
voice There Is absolutely no musical
Curing Like by Like
"All experience hath shown that
mankind are more disposed to suffer,
while evils are siderable, than to
right themselves by abolishing the
forms WHICH lIey tI0 ciSCuobOAiNNs
but when a long train Of abuses and
usurpations demonstrates the fact that
useful human lives are being sacrificed
to useless fowls and beasts, 1t is the
right of the people-it is their duty--to
raise a rumpus and apply the homeo-
pathic principle by making little
noise to cure noise.
The ordinances of Los Angeles are
admittedly chaotic, and the city attor-
ney is now undertaking the work of re-
vision. Now is the time to remember
that the act of an agent is the act of
his principal. If dog digs up your
flower bed that dogs owner is just as
guilty as If he himself had committed
the nuisance or hired a tramp to COM
nit it. If a bird of stentorfan scream
makes life almost unbearable by It's
horrible noise, the owner is just as
guilty as If he himself had climbed up
on the roof and spent the night in
maniacal yells. When the city Is re-
sponsible for such abuses, by ordinance
or license, the city should pay the dam
age.
at ask every reader who has ears or
nerves to send me Immediately word
of encouragement in this fight for
peace, and to use any other consistent
means to arouse public expression on
the noise nuisance, SO that our law
makers may feel sure they are meet
ing a long-felt want in affording us
some relief"