The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1917-11-08
MAY SOON UNDERTAKE TASK or
ExTERMINATINc THAT DE.
srRUcTIvE RODENT.
IS DANGEROUS TO SOLDIERS
onfesting the Camps and Trenches, II
Oeveurs and Ruins Their Food and
Carries Dlsease-War Department
May Send Scientists Abroad.


States, but soon IL Is believed that the
government officials will undertake the
work OF killing. or at any rate driv-
Ing from the trenches OF Europe into
a retreat from which there is no re-
turning. all the rats which today are
making the soldiers lives miserable,
and which any day may become Sc
ers.
The war department has been told
that American scientists stand ready
TO formulate a campaign against the
rats In the trenches In Europe. There
Is hope that later an order will be Is
sued sending detachment of soldier
scientists to Europe to make war on
the most destructive and dangerous
animal that the world knows.
Members OF the biological survey Of
the government have given thought
to the rat and Its problems. Already
they have started a campaign for the
destruction of the rats which rapidly
are multiplying In and about the can
tonments In which our soldiers OF the
three armies. regulars. National Guard,
and draft. are quartered. The diff
nculty Is that the scientists must
depend upon state and local effort and
all that the Washington experts can
do Is to give advice from distance.
Neglected by Congress.
Congress declined to include In the
proper supply bill an appropriation
sufficiently large to enable the govern
ment to undertake the saving OF the
food supply In America from the raw
ages of rats and what is much more
vital the saving OF the soldiers In
France from the dIscomforts which
rats bring In their wake.
SO Ii is that 80 far as present eff
fort Is concerned II must content II
self largely with the urging Of state
and local authorities to combat the
mt al the cantonments, and must give
Cter until later time any thought
OF entering on crusade of concen-
tration against the pest In the trenches
at the front.
that the war department has under adj
visement plan of campaign to rid
the trenches and the environments here
and abroad of the rat which has made
for destruction of property and Of mis-
cry to the fighters.
A short time ago there came To
Washington. X. q. Dugmore, British
scientist OF international fame. When
the war broke out Mr.. Dugmore vol
unteered, went to the front, and there
was wounded. He Is now In this coun-
try telling people about the war and
doing what he can TO recover his
health.
In the trenches Soldier Dugmore
met the rat face to face, and body to
body. He has told the Washington
authorities all that he can about the
critters and their multitudinous iniqui-
ties In the field. While Mr.. Dugmore
Is known as an exact scientist. he was
willing to exaggerate bit TO make his
point when ne said that the trench RAT
II bigger than a hound dog"
Oe8tFQCttve anu OrHUtNOEodo.
In books written by men who have
served In the trenches the rats figure
on almost every page. They run oveI
the faces Of sleeping soldiers and fire.
Quently bite them. They steal food, not
only from the camp kitchens, but from
the storehouses, and In these latter
they ruin ten times as much as they
eat. The rat Is omnlvorous, and wher
this is thought on II Is possible t.
know, without more direct suggestion
Of one of the atrocities which this
loathsome creature commits on tn,
field after a battle.
The trench rat Of western Europe Il
the brown rat of the United States
However originally 1t was neither ,
European nor an American rat. |
was unknown In western Europe un
III the eighteenth century except II
the cities on the coasts to which |
was brought by ships. The brown ra
II a parasite. II It can 1t follows mai
wherever he goes. Sometimes II Is
long ways behind man In the latter
migrations, but II always catches uT
II II q disease-bearer, loathsome In 1t
general habits, and great destroye
Of crops and all prepared foodstuffs
In the United States alone 1t destroy
100000, 900 worth Of food every veal
II Is probable that the war depart
ment when the proper time comes Wi
be able to appropriate from Its ow
funds money suflicient to send Amer
cans to Europe to study the rat prot
lem and to solve It. The European
themselves have done something alon
the checking II not exterminating lin
The rats In the trenches die or di'
appear after gas attack and In TIL
there may be suggestion Of method
Of determination which may be en-
ployed.
Pood for Thou0ht.