Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1910-03-03
NATIONS ASKED
TO SAVE BIRDS
WORLD POWERS MAY UNITE TO
Stop WORK BY MERciLEss
PoAcHERs.
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE
ON sUBJEcT-cRoPS AND
HEALTH OF HUMAN RACE
AT STAKE.

world powers to unite in checking the
commercial butchery that is known
to be rapidly discriminating the most
valuable bird species from the face
of the globe, a conservation move.
ment of international scope was or
gained in this city today. At the
fifth Quinquennial convention of the
international pathological congress
which will be held in Berlin May go
an American representative from the
national association Of Audubon SO
cieties has been instructed to pre-.
sent for the consideration of the ma.
tions plan for uniform protection
against the army Of poachers that
scour the earth to supply it great
millinery markets with the plumage
of billions of birds, of whose natural
activities the human race must de-
pend for agricultural prosperity and
sanitary safety. To enlist Mexico in a
tripartite agreement with the
United States and Canada in. the in
terest of the migratory birds of the
North American continent, a represen.
tative from this country is also pre-
pairing to appear before the Mexican
congress.
Headed by the national association
OF fish and game commissioners, the
North American fish and game pro-
tective association and the American
ornithologists' union, as well as the
national association OF Audubon So
cieties, this campaign of protest
against the rapid destruction of the
teathered resources of every land will
be carried from this country to all
civilized nations. Testimony from
the foremost agricultural and hygien.
ic scientists showing the great part
played by the insect eaters in check
ing crop pests and by the sea birds in
avert1ng pestilence, is now being
prepared as proof of the Immediate
need OF their international protection.
Until the authorities of every ma
ton join to check the illegal raids of
the scouts for the millinery markets,
who are securing the ends of the
earth more widely each year. the
ornithologists declare, no hope can be
held out against quick and final ex-
tlnction of the most useful bird spe.
c1es that inhabit every land.
Details of the recent raid of Japan
csc poachers upon the bird reserves
OF the United States about Hawaii
have just been received here and will
be laid before the coming information
al conference with the growing &c,
mand for reciprocal bird protection
among the nations Ten tons of the
feathers of valuable Pacific-American
species, with the skins and wings of
over $4,000 birds, have been found
to be some of the booty that the rev.
enue cutter, Thetis, brought back with
rs subjects of Japan who had been
landed on American soil to put in a
year At killing and mutilating the
tame focks On these remote islands.
While the value of the bloody troph.
les to the wholesale millinery market
is estimated at some 100000, the bird
life that the Japanese destroyed in
taking them is calculated to be worth
to the people of this country at least
a million dollars.
AS long as billions of the most
economically valuable birds of the
earth may be destroyed in some coun.
tries and shipped to the millinery GEN.
tiers in others, it will be impossible
to prevent their ultimate extinction"
said William butcher, president of the
national association of Audubon soci-
cites at its headquarters, 141 Broad.
way. For instance, the bird of para.
dise-one of the most striking ana
beautiful of Natures creations now
on the verge of extinction The sale
OF its plumage can not be checked I'M.
til the nations cooperate to this end
This trade in feathers is the chief
cause of the worlds alarming loss of
its bird resources, which are essential
to the health and prosperity of the hui
man race everywhere. Migratory
birds know no geographical lines and
we do not believe their existen "a
should be menaced any longer by the
lack of the uniform protective laws
We propose to advocate to the world
powers"