Evening journal., 1913-07-21
Peoples Column
THE STEAM ROLLER
OF THE FEATHER TRADE

To the Editor of THE EVENING ,
JOURNAL.
Sir: The American people are
now being treated to the amazing
spectacle Of the steam roller of The
wild-bird feather trade heinz run
through the United states Senate in
defiance of the appeals and protests
Of the bird lovers OF the United
states. II is T. case OF about 20 i'm
porting millinery houses ana
strong lobby of New York lawyers
against about so million American
people. At present the steam roller
is going over all opposition ana the
indications are that the program OF
the wid-bird milliners is TO he ran
roaded through the Senate as slilcl
"party measure
The friends and protectors OF hirus
arc striving to end. once for all' lNc
odious and cruel slaughter Ui lhe
beautiful and interesting Wild bu's
of the world- for the cash beneh oi
the millinery trade in America. ''he
hesf women of America do no' wait
any more dead bird hat decorancne'
and have appealed TO Congress 10
stop ali such importations. The pra'-
tice of bird slaughter for the millin-
erv trade is essentially barbaroui aud
crlel and il has now become Odi0us
and detestable.
The Navs aud Means Committee OF
the House inserted ia the tarih bill "a
clause designed TO stop this odious trai-
fc in wild birds plumage. Ostrich
feathers do not coihe from wild birds.
The movement has the support OF many
ird-protecting societies OF the United
States. the State and National societies
of ihc United States. the state and Ma
tional FcderatiOns OF Momens Clubs
various state game commissioners, ana
humanitarians generally. IL IS support
ed by 1870 newspapers and magazines
and opposed by only one newspaper.
Manv thousands of letters and tele-
grams have been sent to United states
Senators and Representatives. urging
the passage of the Underwood clause
in the tariff bill. unchanged The Tn
der,vood clause passed the House with
out opposition. but one bird importer
has said significantly; You never would
have got that through the House IT
bad known of it IN time."
The Senate is resolutely carrying ont
the program of the feather importers
who want the money The Democratic
caucus of the Sgnate. by a vote OF 60
/, struck ont Of the tariff bill, except as
to aigrettcs. the whole bird protecting
causci The millincrs' lobby OF hve
New York lawyers has done its work
we'll. Il Is rppOr;ed that one of its
workers in Washington has said: Those
bird men are not going to get another
peep at the Senatc!'
I ask the editors Of the United
States to place these facts before the
people and ask their readers whether
.hey are going to stand for the steam
roller of the feather trade.
Thus far not one good reason has
been advanced by any Senator, or i'm
porter for the striking out Of our
clause The milliners' lobby is max
Ing no campaign of public educa
lion or appeal Some Senators claim
10 believe that In voting 10 strike out
our clause they are protecting the
birds of the United Statesl The idea
rs totally erroneous Now il is stated
that Germany" has made a strong
protest against our clause, because
It would interfere with the trade i'm
& wild birds plumage that Germany has
built up with our country aud it is
reliably reported that the protest
which the Senate Finance Committee
received from abroad evidently caused
great concern. and led Them 10 take
action which wiped out our clause
at one stroke.
So then, while the finance committee
oheys the behest of Germany and the
milliners' lobby, the friends of the
birds are totally ignored. I'm re
sponse to our appeals We receive the
mystic formulas will be considered" "
and ill-receive-attontion" The Sen
ate is. and all along has been. in full
possession Of = mass of facts and de
tails that show the deadly nature of
the traffic in wild birds plumage for
millinery. The Senators are not at all
ignorant on this subject They have
had the facts ever since last January.
DO you ask me why certain Demo-
cratic Senators are against us In this
matter. and are deliberately and per
sistently defying the known wishes of
the American people? Frankly ! do
not know Ask them. and see " YOU
can secure satisfactory answer.
The vote in the Senate as whole is
vet 10 be- taken Without the deadly
unit rule. } think that majority ot
Senators would today sustain the cause
OF the birds. This is uoN "a world wide
fight. Two European nations have al
ready promised To 'clcan housc' as soon
as England docs so, and az England the
bird bin has passed the House OF Com
mons by 4 large vote. The light is tu
an absolute hnish. A. Tor ourselves, we
will accept no amendments and make
no compromises of any KIND with the
enemy We are going to insist upon our
clause. unchanged; and We hope that
every friend of the birds VIII. JON nm tins
fight senators who are wrong are not
in,incihlc William T. Hornaday.
New York geological ralk,
I..I.- nm