Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-05-03
KANSAS CITIZENS
FICE BUG GALL
CROPS ARE THREATENED,
LAW MAY SOON BE
INVOKED.

Every Citizen 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
30 Excused.
An old. forgotten law, enacted by q
Kansas legislature at II time OF great
need and never used. Is to b called
into action after lying dormant in the
statute books more than third Of
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 II. Hodges has been petit
toned to invoke its use in central Kan
sas to fight the cllinch 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 siztyhve years Of age may be
called out to fight the bugs. The en-
tire state may be included, although
it is probable only & 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 day and the
court costs.
Bugs Destroy 100000.
The farm experts Mt 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 $10.OOO,00O. 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 1913-14 crops.
j. w. Mccullough. assistant IN
charge Of chinch bug determination ut
the college. wrote to former Governor
Stubs as follows:
Il would like to suggest that you
issue proclamation calling on the
people of Kansas for Il certain date to
Join in a 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 1t has found that on an
average 90 per cent Of the bugs are
destroyed. and the crops are uninjured
the following year The only requisite
20 make burning q success 1s to make
1t thorough"
Governor Stubs did not act on the
matter. but left 1t for his successor.
Governor Hodges.
Grasshoppsr Peril Caused Law.
The warning out law was enacted by
the legislature Of 1877 and Is known
as chapters 119 and 100 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 q visit Of grasshoppers
or other noxious insects all the inhab-
itants, both Of the cities and the coun-
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 dozen counties or only
single township.
When the warning out notice Is post
ed it must show the tools and fmple-
ments Of warfare to be used in the
campaign. Each person from twelve
to sixty-fve 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 &C.
cording to a general plan for the en-
tire township or county and under the
direction Of the local officers.
It is not likely that residents OF
Kansas cities will be called out to
tight 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,