The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-10-24
THE BIRMINGHAM AGEHERAIp, SUNDAY, OCTOBER 24 1920

, found a trapped bear still alive, but in such a condition as to render both meat and fur useless s The human race refuses to accept the idea of enduring intolerable physical pain The human race seeks desperately, in every direction. to avoid it. Millions of dollars are spent every year in learn ing how to alleviate it. The human race
 is frankly m terror of torture and yet
 e.ery day of life we unhesItating inflict
 upon .he creatures of the dumb world
 Gnspoakable suffering that not one of us
 would have the courage to face. Trap
 ping involves incredible acts of martyr dom on the part of warm-blooded. sensi-
 tive living creatures. who are capable os
 suffering. even as we suffer
 A writer in the Saturday Evening Post
 says: As to lovely woman, female of
 the species. it certainly may be said of
 her that she is in many ways more mer-
 ciless thah the male. All hunting is bad
 enough and no sport stands analysis
 when it comes to that; but trapping IS
 the worst of all and most trapping is
 done for women These tender-hearted
 members of our race ares wiping out
 species after species of small animals
 and making life a tragedy for everything
 that wears fur"
 If the boy is to be a trapper and this
 exciting sport" is started where will it
 end-a sport so expressing that other aimless diversions will have lessened zest
 once the pace has been set for the
 pastme. whose object is pursuing and , killing whether by trap or gun? New pests will be suggested for eXtermina- ton and the butchery will never cease. This taking of life in a manner that in cludes unspeakable suffering is a debas- ] ing. cowardy, oul-hardening employ ment Let it not be assigned to impress | sonahle youth. If in the case of de-
 structive animals the work must be done. I let slaughter men be appointed to do it., l and compelled by law to do it as hu , namely as possible,
 1 There is a dawn of hope in this trap | ping problem. Imitation furs, warm as real furs. of beautiful texture and effect | are now manufactured and fur-bearng I animal farms are coming into existence. | On these farms animals are humanely
 reared and humaney destroyed. The fur | is better. A writer in The Conserva- | tionist Magazine says: 'The several ] states consider many of our fur l bearers as destructive vermne. Tue i weazel. mink and fox are most noted. | Their extermination is sought and boun- ties are placed on them for this purpose, | This procedure. together with the trap l 1 creatures to eXtermination unless some I step is taken to save them. Fur farming i would not only save many species of val l uable fur animals from extinction, but at l the same time put their depredations to l a definite end. All animals trapped or l shot in their wild state have their belts
 more or less injured which depreciates | the value of the pelt. This loss of valua | ble fur can be safely estimated to run over sl.00900o annually. By fur farming
 not only will belts be saved from injury but furs will be taken from the animals | when they are in prime condition"
 1 There may be ways and means of han l ding the trap problem. This is not the ! place to discuss them. This letter. urged | by many humanitarians throughout the l country. is,a direct appeal to the Ameri- | can boys. May the boys help in the hu- l manitarlan movement to enlighten the | public as to the horrors of trapping May