The Republican journal., 1914-01-29
FEAR FEATHER FRAME-UP.

Audubon Agents Against Webb Amend
ment. Would Bore Hole in Tariff Plum
AGE Ban. New Law Saving Many Mother
Egrets.
New YORK, January Is, 1914. Scent
ing a scheme to bore ioopho)e in the
law by which Uncle Sam has just been
enabled to protect wild bird life by pro-
hibiting importation of aigrettes and
other plumage, officers of the National
Association of Audubon Societies have
issued from their headquarters in this
city call to fight the Webb bill, recent
ly introduced in Congress, which they
declare will serve the interests of the
professional bird butchers of the mil
iinery market. By amending the tariff
law to admit plumage held here before
it's enactment and taken abroad by resi-
dents of this country, this measure is
sure to open to the feather hunters an
easv way to defy the federal ban which
the people of all the country demanded
of congress last year, it is asserted.
Millions of mother egrets and other wild
birds are being saved from butchery for
their nuptial plumes as result OF the sue
cessful operation of the new law. it is
shown by the Audubon agents, who have
watched the millinery market and be-
lieve the proposed amendment would
render it's further enforcement farce.
That scores of scouts for the great feath-
yer interests could be dispatched abroad
with bundles of aigrettes that might be
swelled by thousands more on the return
trip is pointed out by the men who know
that the milliners are secretly rejolced
over the quiet introduction of the Webb
dill. Though this proposed 'loophole'
legislation provides admitting such
plumes upon their identity being estab-
l1shed under appropriate rules and regu-
iations to be prescribed by the Secretary
of the Treasury" any adequate identl-
fication of feather is pronounced absurd
and impossible by ornlthologists who
have lust been consulted here. With
the customs men helpless to prevent it,
The Webb amendment would legitimatize
wholesale smuggling of plumage that
would soon restore their old market to
the men who massacre the birds OF the
whole globe to supply the costly millinery
plumes, it is believed.
With dainty Audubon hats, ~ trimmed
with flowers, ribbons and embroidery
and labelled inside Save the Birds,
now meeting large demand from the
women in this city, and ostrich and barn
ward fowl feathers being adopted by the
eniliners more ana more, the Audubon
agents declared today that the enforce
ment of the feather clause in the tariff
law had thus far proved distinct sue
cess and had met with the approval of
the press and public of the entire land.
From their agents in London they have
lust learned that in anticipation of the
passage of similar law now pending in
the British parliament, the English mil
liners are already busted in designing
new styles that exclude wild bird plum
age. Though they regret the incon-
venience caused to the ladies in the proc
+ess of the necessary customs house en-
forcement of the new law, the Audubon
leaders point out that, behind the thou
sand seizures of plumes already made,
millions of mother birds are being spared
from butchery by plume hunters to raise
their broods that would otherwise be left
to starve.
"While the successful carrying out of
the provisions of the new American
feather law marks milestone in bird
protection among the peoples OF the
whole world, its amendment according
to the Webb bill would surely destroy
much of its beneficial effect" said 7.
Gilbert Pearson, secretary Of the Nation
al Association of Audubon Societies, at
its headquarters, 1874 Broadway, today.
BACKED by the same sentiment that
supported our efforts that resulted in
barring imported plumage by the tariff
law, we shall fight any attempt such as
this to nullify any of its provisions, since
We know that the American people are
-squarely behind the law as it stands.