New-York tribune., 1912-03-17
.EyADE LAW ON A|CRETTES
Philadelphia Millinery House
Saws Women May Wear Them.
AUDUBON SOCIETY TO ACT
oaoials Will Take Steps to
Frustrate Plan-Birds Be
ing Exterminated.

-. Vay 10 evade the law prohibiting
a.. ,,IA NJ aigrettes in the State of New
vorr has been devised by Philadelphia
-,,,rerv house. which recently sent circu-
,.,s Offering TO supply the feathers by ex-
-.ss IN those women whose names appear
,he New York social register. The circu-
.. states that although II Is crime for
s.a,ers 10 sell the plumes In New York there
:, nothing 10 prohibit any one wearing
,he,n If purchased outside of the state.
IT, rrorrietors of the firm guarantee 10
- al responsibility upon themselves and
arA said 10 Le willing to risk test of the
80, should the National Association of
,.,d,,ro, Societies see At TO take the matter
into the courts.
When the law prohibiting the sale CT
.tgrsttes i'm New York went into effect In
1r,,. 1911. such a contingency was suggest
ed hut good legal opinion was secured ana
,bA r,iliners were advised that they couid
go, be prosecuted for selling the goods by
mail or express in New York. because
,oatbers did not come within the scope OF
the interstate commerce act
A. the Offices Of the Audubon Societies "
mas said Yesterday that the organization
vss not contemplating any legal proceed
yre ~ prevent the Philadelphia dealers
fror, taking advantage OF the law TO con-
,inue the sale OF the feathers in New YORK,
h,t that 2 more efficient way Of stopping
tbe practice By the enactment OF statn-
tory legislation would he taken.
r GILBERT Pearson. the executive secre-
stated th2t
,bo matter had been called TO the atteh-
tion Of the society early in January "hsh
the first lot Of circulars were submitted 70
the women in New York, and that a iesi-
let describing the slaughter of the nirdS
for their feathers had been prepared ana
vas shortly 70 be spread broadcast over
the state Of PENNSYLVANIA. with q We" OF
.roysing ropular sentiment against the sale
Of the feathers within the state ano
bringing about the ultimate passage Oh an
sct by the Legislature to the same eneCt,
Mr. Pearson said each days mail brought
scores Of the Philadelphia circulars 10 MS
Office sent there by women who nad re-
c.ived then, Many wrote letters calling
his attention to the matter and asking that
the society conduct an investigation, tie
vas confident that the publicity campaign
that is about 10 he launched in Pennsy'-
ysnia would bring about the desired result
and drive the dealers in aigrettes out OF
the state. Besides in New York, such laws
are now in effect in New Jersey, Massa-
Clnlsetts. Ohio, Louisiana, Missouri Call
fornia and oregon.
The pamphlet which the Audubon Society
has prepared for distribution will be sent
out from the executive offices OF the so
cietv. at No. 1874 Broadway. probably dur
ing the latter part of this week. II CON
tsins plea for the prevention OF the
slaughter Of the birds. OF which not more
than q dozen small colonies are known now
10 exist in this country. The necessity oi
hiring men to guard these nesting places IS
dwelt upon. and there also arc sworn am
dsvits from a number OF ornithologists and
raturalists. contradicting the statement
frequently made by the feather dealers,
that the plumes are picked mp from the
ground having been shed by the birds
during the moulting season
There is. too. q signed statement by
former feather hunter. in which he says
To illustrate the comparatively Shlall
number of dead feathers which are col
Iected T will mention that In one year l
and my associates shipped TO New York
eighty pounds of the plumes Of the large
heron and twelve pounds Of the little. re-
curved plumes of the snowy heron and In
the lot there were not over five pounds OF
pIumes that had been gathered from the
ground, and these were of little value. The
rIurne birds have been nearly exterminated
In the United States and Mexico, and the
saroe condition Of affairs will soon exist in
,ronjcaI America The determination will
come about because the young are lett 10
starve in the nests when the old bros are
killed. any other statement made by inter
ested parties 10 the contrary notwithstand-
Ing"