The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1916-11-17
WILL ENLIST GOVERNORS
San Diego, CAL, and Other Places
Have Already Succeeded In Driv-
ing Out the Pests.

campaign for the destruction of the
English sparrow. Its officers say
this bird has made such Roadway
here that It is driving out the small
- song and insectivorous birds, and
that Il has become a question OF
whether we shall have only the Eng
fish sparrow to represent our bird
life or destroy II and regain some SO
species of useful and beautiful birds
that used to inhabit cities, farms and
countryside all over the land.
The league intends to ask the Gov
ernor of each state to issue procla-
nation declaring war on the English
! sparrow and setting aside a week.
possibly In April or May OF next
YEAR. TO be devoted especially to des-
troying nests of this pernicious pest.
Pr~,ed instructions as to the plan
of the campaign will be sent to the
MAYORS OF all Incorporated cities and
villages, to the heads of the school
systems in every county, to college
Presidents. to Principals OF prepara-
tory schools, to the heads OF the Boy
Scouts in each State. and to other
organizations which might be expect
ed 10 extend sympathy and aid.
Four principal methods of action
will be employed: Tearing down the
nests. trapping the birds, shooting
them under police supervision and
under licenses issued by the police
authorities, and, in cities where
water pressure is available. turning
the hose on the birds at night after
they have gone to roost.
The President of the league. Col.
G.. O. Shields. of ITO Simpson
street. New York, says he would
like to hear from persons interested
In the matter, both those who favor
the plan and those opposed,
He makes the statement that In
the case OF the hundreds of thous-
ands of bird boxes placed In this
country in the last 10 years, fully
rs per cent have been appropriated
by English sparrows. In cases where
bluebirds, wrens or other birds that
are desired by those who put up the
boxes have taken possession OF box
as. the sparrows have driven them
out, thrown their eggs or young TO
the ground, and taken possession
themselves.
81 have Travelled nearly 1000 miles
this Summer" says Col. Shields
have visited more than fifty towns in
the Middle West and in the East.
have walked more than 100 miles,
and though | always look carefully
for birds. have not seen single
bluebird this season. The bluebird
Is. perhaps, the most modest and
most inoffensive OF all our native
songsters, and so 1t has retired more
generally before the onslaughts OF
the British intruder than any other
of our native birds, though all nave
been driven out to u greater or less
extent.
IL recently sent out 80 letters, In
closing self-addressed post cards
asking my correspondents whether
they have seen any bluebirds. anu.
IL so, how many. The cards have
all been returned, and only six OF
the people have seen single blue
bird. Some of them report about
usual number. but the experience
and observation OF. the others agree
with my own. These "a persons
say they have not seen single blue
bird.
"There are several important prec-
edents for our proposed action
against the sparrows. San Diego,
Cal, started a war of determination
against them a year ago. II has
been vigorously conducted, on about
the same lines as We propose, and as
a result more of the sparows in that
city have been killed and the others
driven out. The California state
University has cleaned its campus OF
them, and Meriden. Conn, has clear
ed most of them out. The California
State Game and Fish Commission has
inagurated a Statewide war against
the intruders.
IF one city the Size of San Diego
can kill the sparrows and drive them
out, every town and city in the land
can do it, and we believe that at
least 80 per cent Of the people In
this country will approve war OF
determination against this condemn
ed nuisance, and that they will join
heartily In IT, But we must know
first whether we are going to offend
any considerable number Of good