Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-07-09
SAVE THE FUR SEAL
Secretary NageI Elated Over
Signing of Convention.
MAKES FOR WORLD PEACE
Other Questions Can Be Settled, He
Says, If Approached in Same
Spirit.
MAKES FOR WORLD PEACE

That the convention looking to the
conservation Of the North Pacific fur
seals, which was signed Friday by the
representatives Of the United States
Russia, Great Britain and Japan. is a
great step toward an International
game law and an indication of the
possibility Of a universal arbitration
treaty is the opinion Of Secretary Ma
gel of the Department of Commerce
and Labor who was one Of the Ameri-
can representatives at the conference.
Il regard 1t as wonderful ad-
vance," said the Secretary. "as showing
how easy 1t Is for the representatives
Of friendly powers to reach a common
basis upon which to deal with matters
opinion"
Russia and the United States, he
said, had practically agreed upon the
adjustment OF pelagfc seal fishing.
the United States because Of its large
and valuable herds upon the Pribtlof
Islands, and Russia because Of her
herds on the Commander Islands.
Their Interests Different.
Japan. however. he said. has prac-
tically had her herd wiped out by
pOAo6AS oCoAiAGp AiSA mas AoeAoA DSSAA
encouraged than otherwise, while
Canada had everything to gain and
nothing to lose by pelagic sealing. The
four countries. he said. had different
interests, and yet after thoroughly
discussing the subject in all its bear
ings they were finally able to reach
an agreement which is satisfactory to
them all
It is not to the interest Of the world
n hov,o thA oYfnrrnfnafod hA
said, and yet that fate was unavoidable
II pelagbc sealing were to continue The
reason for 1t is that in pelagic sealing 1t
is the female seals that are slaughtered.
one buck seal will dominate large
harem Their natural regulation of their
affairs is little short OF wonderful
At the opening Of the breeding season
the fights between the males take place
which determine which are to dominate
the harems. Once they are settled the
other seals are driven off some miles and
kept away by q system Of animal regu-
lation that Is little short Of marvellous
After the young are born the female
leaves the land and goes out to sea, not
for three. or ten. or twenty miles. but
for hundreds of miles into the high seas
In search Of food. The male, however.
does not leave the land or its close prox-
unity. Therefore 1t Is the females that
fall victims to the pslagic sealer. and the
loss OF the female Is double loss, be-
cause It means the loss of her young,
which must starve to death
To Kill Surplus Males.
Nothing L. lost by killing the surplus
male seals, said tho secretary Upon
that the experts Of the countries most
interested all agree But the loss Of the
female means the diminishment Of the
herd in numbers in just the proportion
that the females are killed. All the rep
resentattves were able 10 see this after
friendly and temperate discussion OF
the facts. and each country had its OK
perts there to reach the facts.
Then came the question Of solution.
Some concession had to be made to the
tries representing large surns Of capital
Then the concessions began In the same
friendly spirit, said the secretary. Rus
sin and the United States agreed to pay
over to the other two countries 80 per
cent OF the seal catch of each year and
to an agreed sum In case no seals were
killed. Russia and the United States
also agreed not to participate in this
bonus paid by either, consequently the 80
per cent paid by those two countries is
divided between Gr,at Britain and "a pan
The 30 per cent paid by Japan IS d.
vided between Russia the United States
and Great Britain. giving. 10 Fer cent to
each. Canada has no seal fisheries and
therefore has nothing to paw
These concessions made, the real oh
1ect was attained In the absolute pro-
hibition OF pelagic sealing to the citi-
zens Of all four countries Every per
son s9n,. or vessel offending against the pro-
duly authorized officials. to be deliv-
cred to the nation to which they be-
long. which nation shall try the offense
and impose the penalty.
Evidence to Convict.