Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1913-11-13
November 49, 1913
For Our Feathered Friends.

That $50 900 was raised by American
bird lovers to fight for their feathered
friends this year through the National
Association OF Audubon Societies, was
announced in New York last week, fol-
lowing the annual meeting OF this organ
ization. Increases of "A per cent in suS-
tanning memberships, 26 per cent in life
memberships and fully SO per cent in
gross income within one year and the
doubling of its working forces and in
come since 1910 are reported at the head
quarters OF the Audubon workers as
evidences that the bird protective move
ment is beginning to receive the support
OF men, women and children in every
section Of the country. II the interest OF
the public increases proportionately in
the future, If is calculated that at the end
OF the coming decade three quarters OF a
million dollars will be spent annually for
the benefit of the nations bird life through
an organization of ten times the fighting
strength of the present national Audubon
army OF wardens, field agents and educa-
tors.
That at least ninety cents in every dol
lar contributed by sympathizerS with the
wild birds was directly spent in pleading
their cause before Congress, forty legis-
latures and public officials, or in guarding
and maintaining scores OF breeding rel
uges, is shown by the financial records
OF the parent Audubon association. the
administrative expenses OF which have
been kept down TO less than ten per cent
OF its income. In opposing the monied
millinery interests to procure protection
for their feathered prey by the legislators
at Washington and score OF State capi-
tolls, many thousands of dollars were eX-
pended in written and spoken appeals to
the people, whose representatives have,
as result OF their consequent demand,
enacted laws that are regarded as safe
guarding every form of American bird
life more extensively than ever before in
history. Today Uncle Sam has become
the leader OF all the nations of the world
in the suppression of bird butchery for
the feather traffic and the preservation OF
his game birds by the new federal laws,
the Audubon workers declare.
Two million birds are reported TO have
found a safe refuge this year on the Aubu-
bon reservations and guarded colonies
on both coasts and in inland sections, as
well as some ten thousand Egrets over
which sixteen armed agents have watched
in protected breeding grounds throughout
the Southern States. Fifty-two thousand
boys and girls have been enrolled as
junior members of the National ASsocia-
ton of Audubon Societies since last year
and thousands OF dollars have been spent
in supplying the coming generation OF
the whole country, through the schools,
with educational matter that must make
bird protectors OF every scholar in future
years. The demand OF the public for
expert information on the economic value
OF bird life TO agricultural prosperity as
well as for general ornithological data,
has caused the educational activities OF
the association to be doubled during the
year.
"ln addition TO the lines of work in
which we are already engaged, there are
many new fields Of opportunity opening
before us for the coming year." said T.
Gilbert Pearson, Secretary of the National
Association of Audubon Societies, at its
headquarters. 1874 Broadway, New York.
"The passage OF the splendid federal
bird protective laws in the past year and
the strengthening OF State laws do not
mean that our troubles are at an end.
These measures will doubtless be assailed
in the courts, and never has there been a
time when the influence Of wise and
earnest educational endeavor on behalf
of the birds was more needed than at
present"