The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1908-08-27
Audubon Workers Plan National
Campaign.

campaign.
Will Warn all Sections Against Blight and
Hague. Dying Birds Alone Can Save
Crops and Lives.
NEW YORK, Aug. a. While the
fight for the presidency is spreading
over the country, another national CAM
paien for the rights of the feathered
population of the continent is TO be
pressed with redonbled force from this
city today. Acting for the inland birds
whose further extinction must lay
barren all the land, and for the water
fowl, whose death will bring on nation
al pestilence, the National Association
| of Audubon Societies has mapped out
every section of the United States and
organized force of speakers 20 bring
home their issues to all the people.
Though the political battle will end
next November, this campaign for the
birds will be ceaselessly carried to
every American citizen until eventual
ly the federal and State governments
shall establish bureaus to adequately
meet the national need for economic
| bird preservation.
J Seven able ornithologists have been
today assigned to cover as many
divisions OF the whole country and es-
tablish local headquarters in this
} unique campaign for the national
| feathered life. At a constant cost OF
| $4,000 year these trained workers
will be kept on tour till every COM
munity in the land has had the oppor-
tunity to hear the story of the dying
birds and the loss to lives and crops
| which their decrease threatens. Funds
to increase this campaigning force will
| be sought from every man, woman and
child in the country who cares for the
| birds or has dollar at stake in the
agricultural and commercial interests
" hich they alone can guard from de-
struction. While only about thou
sand members today help the National
Association of Audubon Societies to
maintain scores of reservations, an
amy of wardens, small fleet of patrol
boats and staff of educational work
ers, it is believed that, when the
present emergency is brought home to
the nation, many thousands will enlist
in the movement.
''Save the birds who save our lives
and crops" is to be the watchword of
the new national campaign which is be-
ing launched at Audubon headquarters
here today. The prediction OF Henry
w. HenShaw, government expert,
that were the birds extermlnated 1t is
almost certain that not only would
successful agriculture become impossl-
Bile but the destruction of the greater
part of vegetation would follow" is to
be it's keynote. The established fact
that destructive insect life is today
alarmingly on the increase, and the
birds, its natural check, steadily be-
coming exterminated, will be set forth
before every farmer, orchardlst, rail
road and business man, together with
the known loss of ssoo,ooo,00o due to
this condition last year. Medical
authorities will be cited and the profes::
sion aroused to the possibilities OF
plague in the decline OF the waterfowl,
Natures Scavengers.
"We intend to place before all the
people the greatest non-partisan issue
confronting the nation at this time,
said William butcher, president of the
National Association of Audubon So
cieties at its headquarters. al Broad.
way, today. eve are squarely faced
by an impending national calamity and
vet the government only approprlates
some 1872, 900 a year to investigate and
educate on this paramount economic
problem. AS much is put into one
Single gun which is soon worn out
Until the federal and State govern
ments are forced by the people to es
tablish adequate departments or bu'
reaus for the expert handling OF this
important subject our association will
keep up this fight throughout the ma
ton. | believe this work will eventual
ly be adopted as one of the govern
ment's most essential activities; but
until it is, we shall call on all patriotic
Americans to help us fill the breach
and struggle with the grave problem,
which, aside from sentiment, is OF
intense economic Importance