The Holt County sentinel., 1917-08-24
Migratory Birds.

fittoio's p""''
The United States senate has Just
sent the country another step forward
on the path of food conservation. By
an overwhelming majority II passed
the enabling act which gives effect
TO the convention between the United
States and Great Britain for the pro-
lection Of migratory birds. The treaty
was ratified a year ago, but il needed
the enabling act to give 1t force,
which, IL is to be assumed, the house
will also pass. Canada long ago
passed the needed legislation. This
country has been laggard on the
matter for year. The great Or
ganized movement for the protection
of birds, growing rapidly throughout
the Union in Audubon societies, bird
clubs, wild life protection societies,
affiliating rapidly through the realiz-
alton of common aims and a common
good. The federal law protecting
migratory birds, the convention with
Great Britain, the enabling act. all
are forward steps in the march Of
human progress.
Sinister forces have sought to de-
lay this march. Organized efforts
against needed game protection, n
sane protection which benefits the
sportsman as well as the altruist, de-
veloped long ago in this as well ms
many other states. Cape Cod today
sends senator's and representatives 10
the state house on this issue. Mis-
souri, has sent them to Washington
on IT.. In both states and in all cases
the fight has been waged by these
sinister forces, against same and
reasonable protection of game birds
which the real sportsmen have de-
manded from one end Of the country
TO the other. They organized TO defy
the federal law and carried their de-
Trance OF II to the supreme court of
the United States. where the matter
has been twice argued and decision
u still Dending. Before the passing
of the treaty an adverse decision in
these cases would have been a dis.
aSter to the wild life of the continent,
according to the best authorities
among naturalists and sportsmen
/ alike. Now that the treaty has been
ratified and the enabling act passed
u Is believed that the federal regula.
/ tons viii continue in force whatever
the supreme court decision. treaties
not being scraps Of PAL CT on this side
Of the Atlantic.
This organized effort against sane
game protection, propaganda which
has ocen carried on in almost every
state in the Union. has had It's head.
quarters in Missouri. Its chief spokcs.
man at Washington Is Senator Reed
one Of President Wilson's pet grour
tf "wilful mem" For n long time
Senator Stone worked with Reed In
these matters. He. Of late. seems e
have seen new light. but Reed wa,
faithful 10 his fellow iconoclasts e
the end. In the discussion before the
final vote he obstructed the mcasur,
in every possible way. though Il wa.
evident TINT the sentiment Of the sen
ate was overwhelmingly in It's favor
Only six other senators voted agains,
the measure. Gore, Gronna. Hardwick
Johnson OF California. King and Nc
Nary.
The fact that the enabling act hal
passed the senate will cause rcjoicin,
among the bird protcctionists nm,
conscfvationists in general through
out the land. To protect our birds 4
To protect our crops. and cvcryon.
now has a vital interest in crop pro
tcction.-Boston Transcript.