The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-02-06

1utHtiCal DiliS eHulHg
Favorable action on identical bills be-
fore both houses Of Congress is urged by
the naturalists-the Mclean bill in the
Senate and the Weeks bill in the House.
They are here 10 try to make Congress
see the great Importance in passing these
bills. IL possible, during the present ses-
sion.
The bill would extend national protec-
tion to migratory birds all over the United
States. providing for closed game sea-
sons. The Mclean bill has passed the
Senate. The Weeks bill is still in con-
mittee. although there have been several
hearings on the subject.
Speaking of the proposed legislation fer
the protection CT birds. Mr.. Burroughs la
mented that throughout the south the ne
sroes are killing off every sort of bird
that can be eaten. The robin, which eats
every day more than it's own weight Of
pestiferous insects, is fast disappearing
from the land he said.
Mr.. Buck also told of the consequences
of inadequate game laws in the great
northwest. whore birds are being exter-
minated by food huuters and agents Of
millinery houses. 1t is from this later
source that the only opposition to the
proposed legislation is anticipated
Plant feeding insects do millions anl
millions of damage to the crops every
tdif the lHfct AdtuittllStS dli dkTttu, anu
this destruction is increasing steadily in
proportion TO the decrease in bird life.
Not a crop can come to maturity. they
affirm, should the birds be exterimnated
This is practical point OF view to which
the nation and its lawmakers cannot fail
to give thorough heed, in their opinion.
The esthetic value of bird life is not to
be estimated in dollars and cents, said
Mr.. Burroughs. He would consider it UNI
fortunate if only the practical side of the
argument carried appeal to those who
have it in their power to arrest the de-
struction of bird life.
The naturalsts do not expect to be
heard before the House committee, but
intend to make their arguments direct
to the influential members of Congress,
whose aid can assure action on the bill
They have called upon Mr.. Underwood
and the speaker and other leaders of the
House and will follow a similar course
toward the Senate.
The report of the Senate committee on
the Mclean bill argues the case for the
birds in part as follows:
ANYONE who has read recent estimates
of the decrease in insecttivorous birds and
the increase in herbiverous insects can
readily believe that as the mammals sue
ceeded reptiles insects viii soon possess
the earth unless some agency is discoy
cred to check their increase.
1--WE are prone to bear the usual and
slowly accommodating burdens with duh
resignation and patience. The life and
property losses and taxes that are in-
herited and constant we take for granted
1t is the concetrated and unusual calami-
ties that shock and excite the spirit of op-
position and the desire to prevent reoceur-
renee BY the sinking of the Titanic 1900
lives were lost, and the world was filed
with fear and sympathy. Tuberculosis
claims 10000 victims a year in this coun-
try and pneumonia 10000 yet we bear this
awful loss of life with the passing COM
ment that it is great pity.
'The San Francisco earthquake de-
stroyed property to the value of $4,000,
COO This loss was the superinducing
cause of the panic of 1907. which reduced
values by the billions. If il were known
today that the country would suffer such
another loss within its borders the wheels
Of progress the world over would halt in
sympathetic fear
"A short while ago the farmers of the
country, especially in the northwest, were
much agitated because of the proposed
reciprocity agreement with Canada. The
loss, which they. together with other
farmers in the country will suffer this
year and which will benefit no one will
exceed by hundreds of millions of dollars
the total value of the entire wheat crop
of the nation.
''As long ago as 1904 DIR. c. L. Marlatt
basing his estimates on the crop reports
of the United States department of agri-
culture, asserted that the loss to the ag-
ricultural industries in that year caused
by insects alone could conservatively be