Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-01-22
FEED THE BIRDS,

TGcO ! TIC 0tnOo.
Conservation! Feed the birds =!
This is the slogan which should at
, this time be shouted from the hills,
valleys and house tops.
We are now experiencing the most
severe snowstonm conditions that
have ever visited the middle west.
Now is the accepted time to demon
strate practical conservation by the
nourishing and protecting of bird life.
Every true sportsman, man with red
blood in his veins, boy scout or lover
Of nature, should become an imme-
date aggressive conservationist along
! the lines of wild life food conserva-
ton.
!, With a carpet of snow covering the
earth's surface to a depth Of two feet
on the level, it will be many cold
days and nights before the little
winged beauties will be able to rustic
| for themselves, they are unable to ap-
peal to you personally, neither have
they a visiting committee to investi'
gate and report in their favor. leading
/, to their immediate assistance. We
| are in a great measure forgetful OF
dumb life in the cataclysms of worlds
/ war horrors and the many appeals we
are receiving for the relief OF suffer
ing caused by this epoch.
Valuable to Farmer.
Wild bird life is an economy which
overshadows sentiment. Wild birds,
game, song and insectivorouS are a
visible asset to the farmer, as they are
ct all times most industriously en-
gagged in the destruction and consump-
ton OF insects which, if permitted to
multiply, would Immediately become
crop menace. Mr.. Farmer, who tills
your soil and occupies the many
acres: you are a shrewd. calculating
business man in every way. it is now
up to you not to waste one Of your
best crops, song and insectivorous
birds; you are on the grounds, the
game is yours to protect. if raised, 1t
is of inestimable value if you know
how to market your commodity: in
every county are many men, willing
to pay the price for the privilege of
shooting over your premises. which
IRE now protected by the non-trespass
law. men who are real sportsmen and
will certainly leave enough seed
birds to make a most excellent crop
the following year.
Farmer Is Game Custodian.
Every farm should be converted in
20 a bird sanctuary and every farmer
become an active custodian OF bird
life. You are Interested, not from
mercenary angle only; you enjoy
hearing the Boom! Boom! of the
prairie chicken; the Bob White! Bob
white! Of our semi-domestic quail:
+hp I9onk! Honk! or Quack! Quack!
.n6uf migratory birds as they pass in
night: you will make special excur-
sions to the field and "cut round" the
nest Of the pheasant, containing either
eggs or young birds. The game are
your adopted children and become
your outdoor household; you are
their sponsor and they now cry to
You for nourishment, protection and
sustenance. Food, give them food
Iiken your children to the poor, we
have with us, who suffer from the
winters blast and lack OF nourlsh-
ing food; you have personally sur
fered In moderation from the rigors
of winter, at times you have felt the
pangs Of hunger, distressing. but far
removed from the starvation stage.
Boy Scouts Can Help.
Your outdoor children are now in a
starving condition, it is Impossible for
them to live without your immediate
Aid: you must respond quickly; wet.
nold, helpless, at some point on your
Oossession, which you can almost To-
este, mentally, they are huddled to-
eether in vain effort to produce heat
and keep alive too cold to even ven
ture out in search of food. You are
the only social worker they have to
lpok to for life's necessities. Will
you come to the rescue of those little
co-workers and crop producers, whose
lives are suspended in the balance,
while you hold in your hand the de-
Gliding weight. Gather the crumbs
nd crusts from your table, there will
Be no dissension, whether it is wheat
or rye -four, gather the sweepings
from your granary. construct little
"leanto'' for feeding shelter station.
Do it now. You are the FIRST aid
the Father Conservator of food. by
the preservation of bird life. You take
the initiative. while achievements
are coming, We will put up an inten-
sive campaign, not for destruction but
preservation of bird life You of the
city homes, feed the birds from your
doors and windows, let every back
yard be bird cafe, don't be wasteful
or especially lavish with your portions
remember the major portion of the
birds do not get to town" very fire.
Quently. Make up q comfort pack OF
food to be sent to the country birds;
the boy scouts will be glad to answer
this Call of the Wild" in practical
demonstration OF their code of one
good deed a day; by calling for your
bird food package getting it to the
farmer, who will place it at point
which will be a direct route to the
stomach of the bird. Boy scouts and
red blood boys from towns. villages
and farms, let us Immediately pull to-
eether, make your canvass in the In
terest Of the bird food campaign,
pledge the housewife not to waste tbs
crums and crusts that fall from her
table. but hold them until you call, at
which time the refuse will go to per
petuate life and avoid lingering
death by starvation of those innocent,
Industrious, helpless little winged
creatures. who are now crying out to