Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-08-09
FIGHT TO SAVE BIRDS
DRAWS TO A CLIMAX
Determined Effort Being Made
to Change Senate Tariff
Bill Amendment.

AS the time approaches for final action
on the tariff bill. the friends Of the wild
olros are rebuilding their efforts to pre-
Vali upon the Senate. and particularly the
majority members Of the Senate, to throw
out the amendment agreed to by the finance
committee and the democratic caucus
which would permit the importation into
this country of the feathers or plumes
of birds commonly recognized as edible
or pestiferous.''
Circular letters are being forwarded to
every member of Congress protesting
against this amendment, and the latest
method of attack has been the adoption Of
the moving picture to show members of
Congress the manner in which species OF
wild birds are being extermih ated for
the sake of their feathers. desired by the
millinery trade. These moving pictures
have been exhibited during the present
week at the Capitol laboratory. within
easy reach of those members Of Congress
who are interested in the matter.
Claim Public Sentiment.
The Audubon societies of the country,
the biologists and the ornithologists, are
all aligned in the fight to save the birds
And back of them is the sentiment, it Is
declared of the majority of the American
people.
DIR. William T. Hornaday. director OF
the New York Geological Park, who has
been one OF the leaders in the fight, asked
today:
Who shall rule. the $1,000 coo people
who are interested. or thirty importing
feather dealers in New York;
The tariff bill as it passed the House
prohibited the importation Of the feath-
ers of wild birds into this country. The
tariff bill as it now stands before the
Senate, according to DR.. Hornaday, will
permit the importation of the skins
feathers or plumes of every bird species
in the world.
THE best lawyer in Boston on custom
house procedure is Of this opinion, and II
is unqualifiedly true" said DR.. Horna.
day. Let Congress and the American
people make no mistake on this point
If the Senate amendment prevails the
slaughter of birds OF all kinds for the
American millinery trade will go on un.
checked"
DIR. Hornaday declared that the legal
lobby of the feather trade is one of the
to be found in Washington, and recon.
mended that the lobby committees Of the
Senate and House look into its opera.
tons.
Private Hearing, He Says.
Before the public hearings on MAY 20
with the subcommittee Of the Senate
SohiiHiltCSp lucTc Is reason TO De-
lieve that the feather trade had won the
members Of the subcommittee" he said
when the hearing opened, the chairman
said to the attorneys for the feathe,
trade: We nave heard you already, and
we have your briefs. We do not need &c
hear you again. AS the hearing pro
crossed, it became clearly evident tina,
all three members Of the subcommittee
had been converted to the views OF the
feather trade"
Senator Clapp OF Minnesota has sub
mitted an amendment to the tariff bill
admitting game birds and pest birds
which DR.. Hornaday says would hay.
allowed the Importation of 2,442 specie.
of wild birds, but the committee re.
vised the language so as to admit ever,
species in the world.
The opponents of the measure ar.
hoping that debate in the Senate anl
public opinion will force a change in
the present draft of the paraEra pt
dealing with feathers. They have
hopes. too. that when the bill goes te
conference that the House conferee.
will stand firm for the original pro.
vision by which the Importation OF suct
feathers was prohibited.