The San Francisco call., 1910-12-25
GAME BOARD IS
Up in AIR over
LATHAM SDUCKS
Law Drafted to Prohibit the
Shooting of Birds From
Aer0planes
II 1t Wasn't Christmas Aviator
Would Be Prosecuted for
Lack of License

California will be the first state in
the union and the first government in
the world to prohibit the hunting of
wild game from air ships If the state
fish and game commission has its way
at the session OF the legislature next
Long beach Thursday when he shot
"bluebill'' and incidentally frightened
thousands OF ducks and geese so badly
that they have not yet returned to the
marsh from whic hthe aeroplane drove
them, aroused the commission to >ac-
tion and bill to prohibit this sort of
aerial hunting is now drafted and
ready to be submitted to the senate and
assembly.
The fact that Latham is an alien and
should have had a proper hunters IL
cense before going on his hunting trip
does not interest the commission at
ALL as the feat was the first one that
has come to it's attention. and IT is
close to Christmas anyhow and is no
season to be mean. But according to
the law Latham should have purchased
a license for S25, and II he did not do
so he Is subject to fine OF from $40
to 800 for killing that duck. The
DlTQ was 5lOL ABOUT OU ydEQS lEOIu
beach, out over the ocean, but Cali
fornia's Jurisdiction extends three miles
out.
BILL DRAFTER
But overlooking this first duck
shooting expedition in an aircraft, the
commission Is determined to prevent
further events of that kind. Ernest
Schaeff1e, assistant chief deputy in the
Office here, has drafted the prohibitory
bill under the direction of Chief Dep
uty John p Babcock, and 1t will go to
the legislature for enactment into law.
OF course the measure will first have
to be submitted to the approval OF the
commissioners themselves, DIR. David
Starr Jordan, president Of Stanford
university, and NJ j. Connell, who is
president of the commission. ConneI
is also q member of the Bolsa Chica
gun club. on whose preserve Latham,
by permission of the club directors.
made his spectacular hunt.
We feel that such a law should be
enacted as soon as possible" it was
explained yesterday. because now that
one man has shot ducks from an aero
plane, we fear others will hurry to
follow suit. Aviators have done won
derful things in the last year or two
and they seem to stop at nothing.
Within another year it might become
aeroplanes over all the state. Every
aviator would wish TO do it.
WILL BECOME GENERAL
California is a great game state,
but 1t is also a state well suited for
aeroplane flights, and the sport will
soon become general here. Now, an
aviator could sail up the San Joaquin
or Sacramento valley on a hunting trip
and frighten every game bird miles
away. The birds would soon begin to
leave the state, 1t would do no good
to maintain feeding grounds, and the
whole sport would be demoralized for
hunters who wanted to go after the
birds in the usual way.
Not only birds, but all kinds of
game, rabbits and bear and deer. will
be protected from aviators under the
new law. 1t would be too easy to fly
over the country, taking in a survey of
several miles square, and pick out game
beneath. The law is to be a very in
elusive one and will efrectually pro-
tect all sorts and kinds of game"
AEROPLANE A BOATf
1t has been considered that Latham
and all other intending aviator hunters
might be excluded from shooting game
underithe provision of the present law
which makes it unlawful ito shoot at
any kind of wild duck from any boat
propelled by steam. gasoline or other
power while such boat is in motion"
1t is argued that an aeroplane is an
airship, and therefore member OF the
boat" family, and that it is propelled
by steam, gasoline or other power"
For fear the courts might not hold
aeroplanes to be boats however, the
new law will be passed.