The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1911-12-27
OATES Plan FOR
FIGHTING FIRES
BOY SCOUTS ARE BEING ORGAN,
lied AS FIRE RANGERS
BULLETIN ON BIRD
PROTECTION.

state Game and Fish Warden Will
liam II. Oates has started his cam
paign of organizing the boys of the
public schools all over Michigan into
the Boy Fire Rangers as was planned
by Governor Osborn, Mr.. oates and
Insurance Commissioner Palmer some
months ago.
All through the northern part of the
state where the great havoc wrought
b. forest fires has caused untold hard
ship these boys are being formed into
squads and educated TO care for fires
they themselves kindle, TO understand
the disaster which follows the start
of a fire and the need for prompt ac-
ton TO nut them out and the desirable
ity of immediate notice to a proper
fire warden the moment a fire is OBJ
served. For such duties they are to
be rewarded by the state by a small
fee for reports and by medals for acts
of heroism i'm connection with the
extinguishing of blazes.
Mr. oates has secured as an organ
izer a man named Galbraith, an ole
newspaper man. who has already be-
gun his work among the boys. He vii
go into every school district through
out the northern part of the state
tell the boys what is expected OF them
organize them and give them a tall
on the subject which means so nue.
to Michigan. When this work ha
been completed Michigan will haV
an unique, and. 1t is believed, an EN-
cient auxiliary force to prevent tn
starting of fires and to suppress then
II they are started. In this way II !
believed after the force has been thor
oughIy organized the loss from for
est fires will be materially reduce
and millions of dollars will be save
TO the state.
But Mr.. oates is going bit farthe
i'm his plan. 1t is his desire TO teac
everybody, both boys and men an
women. the value of bird life to On
state and to the public welfare. Par
ticularly does he desire that all shoul
be educated i'm the value of the lives
the insectivorous birds
A learned scholar has recently wri
ten an article in one of the magazine
In which he says that were all insect
vorous birds to be killed the carr
would become uninhabitable wlthlh u
years. He points to the marvellous mu
tiplying Of insects: especially does
Al. Gnoln tnp pl
envy of all fruit growers. muitiph
nj the rate OF 1000. 100000 year. al
that in ten years time. If this pc
were 20 be left unchecked, not fru
tree would be able to bear fruit
Mr.. oates is sending out circuia
setting forth these conditions al
showing how the birds prevent {
multiplying of insect pests and shou
therefore, be propagated rather TIL
killed of.
In his communications along the
lines he takes n wallop at the big pi
vate game preserves and the Gu
which maintain them. He declares
good is done to the community
large by such clubs and that becau
Of their hogging propensities they a
in bad odor. and II makes 1t difiic'
10 secure the passage of game legisl
ton I'm the legislature which won
be OF benefit to the entire state.
The plutocratic clubs cannot
what is desirable he says. "Neitn
can the game warden's department
must be done through the education
the general public so that all the pc
pie OF Michigan win unite in prote'
ing bird life of all kinds because II
10 the benefit to the man who likes
brace of partridge or other game n'
for his dinner. He must protect TN
all, game birds and otherwise, so u
they may continue their warf'
against the insect pests and keep
earth habitable."
These lessons are also to be tau'
20 the Boy Fire Rangers so that Il
will me- e~'v watch for fires, but
I'm every possible way now and WI