The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1913-04-22
KANSAS CITIZENS
FACE ''BUG CALL"
Forgotten Law May Soon Be
Invoked.
CROPS ARE THREATENED.

Every Ctlzen Between the Ages OF
Twelve and Sixty five Years May Be
Called Out to Fight Pests-City Resi-
dents Also Subject to Law, but May
Be Excused.
An old, forgotten law, enacted by a
Kansas legislature at time of great
need and never used. is to be called
into action after lying dormant in the
century. 1t is the old warning out
law, made to fight the grasshoppers
after the disastrous raids of the To-
Gusts in the early seventies.
There never has been a time when
it was needed heretofore, but Cover
nor George H. Hodges has been peti-
toned to invoke its use in central Kan
sas to fight the chinch bugs, which
threaten to do great damage to growing
crops this year.
Under this law every man, woman
and child between the ages of twelve
and sixty-fve years of age may be
OuI " uSul Iue buSS' LIE Ch-
| tire state may be included, although
it is probable only a small part of the
| great wheat growing section of the
state may be made into the warned
out" district. Refusal to answer the
summons will send the culprit to Jail
and assess a fine of So a day and the
court costs.
Bugs Destroy $1o,ooo,ooo.
The farm experts at the Kansas Ag-
ricultural college have been making an
investigation of the chinch bugs and
| have found the crops of 1912 were dam
aged to the extent of $1O,OOO,OOO. The
college has asked the governor to in
woke the warning out law for the pur-
pose of avoiding equal or greater dam
age to the 1874 crops.
J. w. Mccullough, assistant in
charge of chinch bug determination at
the college, wrote to former Governor
| Stubbs as follows:
81 would like to suggest that you
issue a proclamation calling on the
people of Kansas for certain date to
join in general campaign against the
bugs. Many farmers are already burn
| ing their grass, but the work is not
general and lacks cooperation.
Fall and winter burning has been
thoroughly tested by the agricultural
college, and it has found that on an
average 9S per cent of the bugs are
destroyed, and the crops are uninjured
the following year. The only requisite
to make burning a success is to make
it thorough"
Governor Stubbs did not act on the
matter, but left it for his successor
Governor Hodges.
Grasshopper Peril Caused Law.
The warning out law was enacted by
the legislature Of 1877 and is known
as chapters 119 and 120 of the session
laws of 1877. The law provides that
when the township or county officials
or the governor believe there is immi-
nent danger of visit of grasshoppers
or other noXiOus insects all the inhab-
itants, both of the cities and the couu-
try districts, may be warned out by
the governors proclamation or by or
ders of the township or county boards.
The order may affect the whole
state, one or a dozen counties or only a
single township.
When the warning out notice is post
ed it must show the tools and imple-
ments of warfare to be used in the
campaign. Each person from twelve
to sixty-five years of age must pro-
vide himself with the necessary tools
and meet at designated place to be-
gin the battle.
May Exempt City Residents.
The campaign is to be carried on ac-
cording to a general plan for the en-
tire township or county and under the
direction of the local officers.
1t is not likely that residents of
Kansas cities will be called out to
fight the chinch bugs. The warfare Is
to be carried on by burning, and there
are sufficient farmers to do the work.
Under the law the residents of the
cities may be called out and compelled
to fight the insects the same as the
farmers.