The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1909-07-25
FEAR MOTH PLAGUE.
Feathered Forces Fight Pests Best
Audubon Workers Head
New Move

NEW YORK, July 24.-(Special)-
Alarmed by the invasion of the gypsy
and brown-tail moths into this state
, from New England, where their raw
ages have cost the people many mil
lions of dollars. thousands of leaders
among the agricultural communities of
every section of the country are today
joining a movement to ward off this
crop plague by protecting the birds
that serve as its greatest check. Act
ing upon this emergency demand from
the farming interests, the National
Association of Audubon Societies has
established national information bu-
reau at 141 Broadway, from which in
structions for preserving and increas-
ing the numbers of the insect eating
birds are being distributed throughout
the country. If every American who is
interested in the crop wealth of the
land will join this campaign of prac-
teal education at once, it is declared
by chronological experts here, there
may yet be some hope of avertng the
moth plague which now threatens to
sweep the continent.
Three main lines of work have been
projected today by the leaders in this
movement on behalf of the country's
agricultural interests. Sentiment in
be crystallzed. comprehensive and
drastic laws to this end enacted, and
every possible means used to attract
birds and thus increase their number
to combat the insect crop pests. Every
state, county and town where proper
protection of the insect eating birds
has not been provided Or whose bird
laws are not enforced will fall an easy
prey to the costly ravages of the
spreading moths, it is shown. Failure
to take up an active campaign such
as is proposed can only be undone in
the face of the moth plague by years
! of hard labor and millions of dollars
of the taxpayers money, it has been
proved by the government and state
authorities.
/ The Empire state is today massing
| a great force Of experts near Port
Chester, where these insect pests have
! just crossed the border line on Their
way west If this advancing column
is not checked it will cost the people
many millions of dollars in the near
| future to make up for the depletion
of it's Wild birds. due to years of lax
laws, it is estimated. In other states
in the path of this pest, where little
! legislation exists to prevent the
slaughter of the insect eaters, cam
! pa 'gns are already on foot to arouse
! the people to the seriousness OF the
situation For years the millinery IN
! terests have prevented the FARMERS
from securing real bird protection in
New York state, it is pointed out, and
now the whole commonwealth must
pay the penalty.
Every American who cares for the
preservation of the nations agrlcul-
tural wealth VIII find us ready ana
glad to tell him what he can do to
help in this emergency" said William
butcher, president of the National AS
ISOLATION of Audubon Soc cites, at It's
headquarters, 141 Broadway, today
! wild birds can be attracted by erect
ing suitable bird houses and In TINS
way increasing the number of birds
in a given locality. Birds will be
found far more effective remedy TO
prevent the increase of these two IN
sect pests than any other means that