The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1916-08-22
MIGRATORY BIRD LAW

Advisory Committee Makes Public
Regulations For Closed Seasons on
Migratory Fowl And Birds.
New York, Aug. 21.-The men,
bers of the Advisory Committee to
the Department of Agriculture on the
Migratory Bird Law, in view of the
fact that new regulations setting
forth closed seasons on migratory
water fowl and birds were today
made public, issued a statement as
follows:
To the People of the United States:
/ The Advisory Committee appointed
by the Secretary of Agriculture, Hon.
D. F. Houston, to cooperate with the
Bureau of Biological Survey in fix
ing the regulations for closed sea-
ed by the Federal Migratory Bird
Law, desires to state to the people OF
the country that after the most ex-
haustive Investigation, and the most
careful consideration of every point
raised, the regulations as promul-
gated We're unanimously recommen-
uCu DS GhC ihCIhOClS VI IulS
tee. We realize the utter impossi-
bility OF even attempting to satisfy
all that desire to shoot migratory
birds.
In recommending the regulations
considerations:
First. A most earnest desire to
save from certain depletion and
hrn nfny h; lofs
waterfowl, game and insectivorous
birds which migrate across the Unit
ed States twice each year.
Second. To accord the hunters in
the various States as nearly as possi-
BILE an equal opportunity of taking
migratory waterfowl and nomadic
game birds.
Third. To open the seasons dur
ing which these birds can be legally
killed in those months when under
normal weather and food conditions
the largest number of migratory wa
terfowl and birds sojourn in any par
ticular State.
Fourth. To absolutely elimi-
nate spring shooting, when migra-
tory water fowl and birds on the
northward migration are journeying
towards their breeding grounds, thus
impelied by the resistless force of ma
ture, to mate, nest and reproduce
their species.
Fifth. To recognize unusual and
extraordinary conditions existing in
few of the States, without effecting
the equity of vested rights of the
people sof the whole country in the
migratory wild life.
Sixth. To submit reasonable,
practical, fair and just regulations
that should invite the support of all
true conservationists.
Seventh. To guarantee not only to
the present generation a reasonable
supply of migratory wild life, but to
SO project it that it will multiply and
be handed to future generations as
their proper and rightful heritage.
The imperative necessity for the
enactment of the Federal migratory
bird law is palpable to every thou
ghtful and discerning mind,
Migratory wild life does not even
recognize national, to say nothing of
statutes of the States protecting
these migrants. the lack of uniformi-
ty in Lase laws. the rapacity with
wnicly the nomadic birds are siau-
ghter4d by voracious annihilators of
wild tfe in many of the States to the
detrinhen of the people at large, COM
pelled the conclusion of Congress
that the exigencies of the situation
demanded Federal regulations that
would. in reality, save the migratory
waterfowl and birds from extermina-
tion.
The people of no country have
been so abundantly blessed with valu-
able natural resources as ours.
The American people are notori-
ously nation of wasters. Only by
reason of the fact that their natural
resources are fast disappearing have
they been induced to extend even a
modicum of conservation to these
fast-vanishing assets.
Conservation does not mean pre-
venting the use of our natural re-
sources as miser would hoard his
gold, but means the wise and care
full use of our national heritage, TAX
ing therefrom only sufficient guam
t1ty to supply our needs, with the
full realization that we are trustees
for future generations.
We are convinced that under the
oPCi dIAOA vi ILLS law Will
improve each year.
The need Of the hour has hereto
fore appeared to be uppermost in the
minds of the people. They have
drawn recklessly on their natural in
heritance with scarcely a thought of
the future. 1t is a notable fact that
in our rapacity for slaughter many of
the most valuable species of game
and birds that formerly abounded in
this country have been annihilated.
The wild or passenger pigeon that
formerly swarmed over Eastern
North America in countless millions
has become extinct. The American
bison. found on the great plains of
the West, was slaughtered by hide
hun rs to the point of extermina-
tic the Great AUX, the Eskimo cur
le the Labrador duck, the Carolina
= frakeet have been exterminated
Iere are many other valuable North
-merican birds that are candidates
for extinction, including the whoop-
ing crane, trumpeter swan, Ameri-
can f1amingo, roseate spoonbill, scar
let ibis, long-billed curlew, upland
plover, Hudsonian godwit, red-breast-
ed sandpiper, golden plover, dowitch-
er, willet, pectoral sandpiper, black
capped petrol, American egret, snowy
egret, wood duck, band-tailed pigeon,
heath hen, sage grouse, white-tailed
kite, prairie sharptail, pinnated
grouse and woodcock.
Future eventuations can only be
judged by those that have gone be-
fore, hence the enactment and the