Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1909-12-26
ASK THAT UNCLE SAM
TAKE CHARGE Of
THE BIRDS
AUDUBON SOCIETIES IN
ACTIVE CAMPAIGN
Stirring Up the Country in Sup
port of the Weeks Bill Which
Gives Job to Department OF
Agriculture,

| New York, Dec. 25.-Asking Cncie
| Sam to act as guardian to all the birds
that flock through his various states
| and territories, sporstmen, ornitholo-
! gists and agricultural authorities
| throughout this country have today
| joined the National Association of Au-
| dubon Societies in urging congress to
provide federal protection for the ma
tons rapidly dying race of migratory
birds. Unless these helpless wander
ers who wing their way over the con-
tincnt are speedily guarded BY Federal
Law at every point in their travels,
many valuable bird species will soon
become extinct, as several have al
ready. it was declared here today by
leaders of this new movement.
As a measure providing for the
proper care of its bird wards by the
national government, the s~porstmen's
and Audubon organizations announced
today that they would unite to sup
port the Weeks bill, which was intro
duced at Washington last May and is
now in the committee on agriculture
of the house of representatives,. This
bin provides for the custody of all mi
gratory birds to be assumed by the
federal government and authorizes the
department of agriculture to deter
mine and fix closed seasons in all the
territory travelled by the birds that
undertake Interstate flights. With
out interfering with the state law Tor
strictly resident birds, this proposed
federal legislation Is designed to in
sure protection of the migratory flocks
in the interests of the people of every
section of the country.
Reciting the practical difficulties Of
obtaining uniform state legislation to
protect this important class of birds.
resolutions have just been passed by
the American Ornithologists' union, in
convention in this city, endorsing the
Weeks bill and expressing the belief
that "all birds which do not remain
permanently within the borders of any
state or territory are logically the
wards Of the nation" BY the New
York Association for the Protection of
Game. as we'll as other bodies of
sportsmen in every section of the
country, similar endorsement has been
given to this movement. From Min
nesota, oklahoma and many other
states it is reported that public senti-
ment has already insured the active
support of this Measure in congress
That not only the healthy recreation
Of the sporstmen, but the nations
health and agricultural prosperity as
well are seriously threatened by the
lack of federal protection of migra-
tory birds, Is shown by recent records
of the Investigations Of government
authorities. Hosts OF insects thai
harm the crops and carry deadly
germs are now known to be consumed
by these very birds hat the nation is
asked to guard from wholesale slaugll-
ter. If the lack of uniform protec-
ton of these birds by the states which
they must cross is allowed to n
the interests of the American people
any longer, it is pointed out hat the
consequences will be serious.
Farmers. ranchmcn, planters and
lumbcrmen, as wei as sportsmen and
bird lovers, in all parts of the coun-
try are offering us their support in
this campaign to place Uncle Sam on
guard oven the nations migratory
birds" said william butcher, preai-
dent OF the National Association OF
Audubon Societies at its headquarters,
III Broadway, today. twenty-five
years of constant and aggressive e.
fort for uniform bird protective la WIS
has resulted in some progress, but a
century of effort would not accom-
plish what this Weeks bill will if it
Is made a law If every American
who cares for the continued existence
Of his country's birds viii come to our
aid, however. ] believe that we shall
soon see the national government
placed in control of this serious si,u-
alton"