The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1920-07-09

and bluebills in a marsh at Nevada, Mo. 1t real
ly was distinguished party In it were Attorney
General Frank McAster of Missouri; j. r. Rey-
nods Of Kansas City; Il. S. vilmoare, Kansas
City, and NJ s. Bodne and Clarence Evans of
Paris Mo.
but congress had previously passed the fed
era migratory bird act, which among other things
prohibits spring shooting of water fowl How
came 1t them that the attorney general of the
state of Missouri was In the party?
Well, he from Missouri" The Missouri
folks have to be shown, you know. And Attor-
ney General McAllister and his friends had an
idea that the migratory bird act was unconstitu-
tional. They liked to shoot ducks-sprIng as
well fa-and they proclaimed that the oct
interfered with the sovereignty of the state of
Missouri and with the property rights of the peo-
pie of Missouri.
SO Attorney General McAllister of Missouri,
and his friends went hunting March z 1919
Moreover, they didn't care who knew It, Maybe
they even tipped it off to the federal game war.
dens. Anyway, the federal game wardens put In
an appearance and arrested the attorney general
and his party The party was arragned at Gin
ton, Mo. McAllister took the into court ask
Ing for an injunction to restrain the federal game
wardens from enforcing the law. Federal Judge
A. s. Van Valkenburgh held the law constitutional
and the state appealed to the United States Sill
preme court
To George Shiras Ill. and Ellhu Root the
millions of brd-lovers gratitude So do the
lnsectivorous birds gone, would be eaten ND nv
their insect foes George Shiras a member of
congress from Pennsylvania, began the fight away
back In 1904. Elihu Root-possibly the most COM
handing intellect in the country today-cinched
the victory.
I. Gilbert Pearson, secretary and executive Of
fcer of the National Association of Audubon So
cletes who has also big share in the victory
Is wideawake citizen and thoroughly familiar
with the situation. Let him tell the story of the
long, hard fight. Says Mr.. Pearson:
George ShIras Ill man of means who
was Interested in good works. In looking over
the situation In reference to the protection of
birds, he discovered that the states all had differ
be shot and that what the situation really amount
ed to that game birds could be shot In DIFF
ferent parts of the country all through the wear
He decided that the only way to remedy this state
of affairs, which would In time result In the ex.
tlncton of game birds, to put the matter un.
der government control and thus do away with
the constant and everlasting wrangng of th,
states. SO he introduced a bill In congress for
the protection Of migratory birds It was re-
ferred to q committee and put In pigeonhole
md that the last of It,
Before this time the only protection law in
force in the States the Audubon law which
we succeeded In getting enacted in all but about
eight states. This, however did not prohibit the
selling of birds. In 1910 we brought about tho
prohibition of the sale of aigretes.
I'm theory, the state game laws worked nice
ly. and 1t could be shown paper that each
state could have its chosen shooting season and
still there would be no dying out of birds. But
In practice they did not work we'll Take for
duck shooting-when the ducks start
n,vth In the spring they are mating and IL you