Arizona republican., 1917-06-11
By George H. SmaIiey, secretary of the
 Arizona Council of Defense.)


 It IS appalling to reduce to deppnd- able figures the actual damage in dol lars and cents to the farmers of the Sat River valley caused by the white winged dove, a predatory bird which seeks out the wheat and barley fields of the western portion of this conti- nent and at this particular time is soiourning in Arizona fields
 The appeal of the sentimentalist is drowned when one opens the craw of a white wing after the bird is full fed and finds that it holds over an ounce of clean wheat or barley. It becomes real tragedy when one considers the starving babies in the world crying for bread, and our present crisis which calls for strict accounting for all food stuffS in order that peace may come swiftly through the victories of well fed men and women of our allied na ti0ns in the great fight for universal democracy
 But paramount stands the crime of rolnieSsness caused bv misguided sen timentality-the statutory protection of the white wing invasion. The Arizona gam" statute makes it a nfrsdeneano1. 10 shoot these pests at the very time they are a menace to crops in this val ley It says to the farmers, thou shalt not kill, maine or injure them; YOU must sit quietly and watch them come In thousands and destroy your grain. oarrEinP off 10 their old Mexico haunts the fruits of your hard-earned labor In the fields.
 It is really a pitiful condition and one which is receiving the immediate attention of the national council of de- fense to the end that the government may step in and see that something Is done at once to effect tuallv defend the farmers of the Salt River valley and other portions of Arizona against the raVageS of the white wing In the investigauon now being made by the government action must come promptly if the damage is to be stopped.
 One field several miles blow Buck eye yesterday afternoon was visited by over one thousand white wings during an hour. The investigation showed that the craws of these birds held an aver age of one and quarter ounces .or wheat or barley. without a sign of worms or grit but clean-cut heads picked from the field of forty acres
 Tine soiourn of the white wing in this valley is about sixty days, so the dam age amOlnts to 4681 1-5 pounds for one thousand birds. In dollars and cents this means a loss of S164O5 for the, farmers to feed each one thousand birds during the time they infest the fields in this valley. It is estimated that there gre million whit" wines now feedins; upon the crops of the Salt River valley.
 n' r7ake the loss S164.050 from white wings alone.
 ln.s Ieus but nalI ,ne story, for white wings feed from early morning until late evenings. and the average revealed only the grain aftep the evening feed ing Then. too. there are black birds and Sonora doves at work. So, if any one should estimate the damage in double the amount given above who can dispute him? At any rate the sit nation is serious to the farmer. and Of great moment to all of us just now who are engaged in food conservation work as q matter of war preparedness.
 The Arizona Council of Defense de- sires suggestions as to the best method of meeting the situation Statisticai maps are now being prepared showing all the agricultural areas in the S..ic River valley. the particular staples planted or harvested, this work being ihe finale of the agricultural census