Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-08-04
GREAT ARMY OF MICE
PLAGUE TO AUSTRALIA
Multiplication of the Rodents Due
to Inability to Ship
Wheat Crop.
BY PERCY R. Mccoy.

Especial Correspondence of The star
and Chicago Daily News)
Copyright. 1917. by the Chicago Daily News
Company,
SYDNEY. \. s. W.. July when
read in my chiluhoods days of the ter
rible plaques with which the Egyptians
We're afflicted before they would let the
people OF Israel go. I little anticipated
the practical demonstrations OF SINH
lar kind which / would witness in after
life We have had several OF these
in New South Wales. during the last
few years. There have been at least
four-rabbits. prickly pear, blowHics
and Bathurst burr--which have cost the
country millions of pounds and viii
cost millions more before they can he
got rid OF entirely
Now comes the plague of mice. the
most singular and most unexpected OF
them all. Every now and then para
graphs have appeared stating the .N.
towns, especially in Victoria. but since
then they have extended the area OF
their attack and their advance guard
has even reached Sydney. whore the
trembling housewife. broom in hand. is
awaiting their onslaught. For their
movements are as rapid and bewilder-
ing as those of Napoleon who jumped
from the seacoast right into Austerlitz
with his whole army in a few days,
Hard to Conquer Them.
And when the gentle rodents once
come in their myriads there are no
means of getting rid of them. Cats
would be OF email avail in such a case,
as the greediest tabby could only eat
half q dozen mice in q day. Terriers
are their most effective natural enc
mics. but there are not enough terriers
in all the suburbs to kill of the front
fringe of the invading host should it
make up its mind to come to. Sydney.
and burning OF a belt OF suburbs
would be too heroic a measure to meet
the situation At present 1t Is the
wheat stacks are being eaten through
In some districts the mice are SO
thick that two women are said to have
killed 1,100 by stamping on them. A
similar, although much smaller plague
Is reported to have been experienced in
the mother state about fourteen years
ago, which was stopped by an epidemic
OF rtngWorm. which not only affected the
mice, but even the cats which pursued
them and made many hearty meal out
pursuers and pursued were struck blind
as sort of aftermath of the original
disease. In that instance the plague
was stayed with suddenness which al
must TlSdleU the disappearance OF Sem
nacheribs host.
Origin Of the Plague.
In large measure the plague owes
its origin to the enormous amount of
wheat that has been held back for want
OF transport and roughly stacked at the
farms or in the railway yards for want
OF the bulk handling process so prevalent
in America. but which has been blocked
in Australia since the war began for
want Of funds Every stack makes an
ideal residential site for as many mice
as can find sanctuary there, with food
for eating, and no travelling to get it.
where no cats, hawks. owls, crows OF
any other enemies can penetrate.
When the adjourned premiers' confer
ence meets again one Of the most i'm
portant items that will probably be dis
cussed will be whether the tremendous
expense shall be incurred necessary to
install bulk handling machinery in the
different states. In view Of the great
advantages that will accrue to the pro-
ducers here in many different ways, not
emitting its bearing on the plague of
mice. IT is mol unlikely that the objec-
lions on the score Of expense. which
were SO formidable when the question
was last considered, will now be over
come.