Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-07-05
JURORS DECREE
LIFE FOR OWLS
AT WHITE HOUSE
Findings Handed to Secre-
tGry of President
Harding.

WASHINGTON, July 5.-The owls shall
live. The John Burroughs Club jury
appointed by President Harding when
visiting the White House some time ago
to consider the question says so, and the
jury so reported In a memorandum fled
tian, Jr., the Presidents secretary. The
finding of the jury is based upon the
clubs investigation and upon hundreds
Of briefs filed with the American For
estry Association for the club from ev-
cry section of the country.
These briefs took up every phase of
OWL values as pest destroyers to their
tabled influence on the lives of human
beings Some of the writer's called upon
President Harding to get rid of the owls
at once If there are any in the White
House grounds and predicted all kinds
of bed luck for his administration. The
John Burroughs Club. however, consid
cred only the economic value of the owls,
for the question put to them by Judge
Harding was in regard to birds that
preyed on other birds being allowed to
live.
The finding Of the jury as fled at the
White House follows:
In spite Of the fact that these birds
destroy others of their own ilk, they
have to their credit and in defense OF
their lives the fact that they are of much
economic value and have certain other
qualities in their favor.
I'VE shall take, for instance, the crow.
whose value in lessening the number of
harmful insects was so great that for a
long time scientists working for the Gov
eminent were unable to say whether his
bad acts counterbalanced his good deeds.
Next we take the great horned owl
whose bad habits are well known. for
even he kills rats, mice and other rodents
Finally, we come to the coopers and
sharp skinned hawks who, especially the
coopers hawk, have brought wrath and
hate upon the heads Of even the less de-
structive birds of prey Of the coun-
try.
But then can we convict a whole class
Of God creatures because a few have
been known to slaughter their own kind ?
Can that ineXorable law OF nature, the
survival OF the fttest which has been
since the world began broken by US who
owe so much 10 it, even unto our very
existence? De we put a sentence OF
death upon all bears because a few have
Teen known 10 eat domestic animals? We
Kill them II we know they are guilty.
that's ali II we destroy the feathered
murderer. we must also pass sentence
upon the parasitic vine. which eucir-
cles and sapS the life from the sturdy
forest tree.
Nay, 1t is not for US to do these
things. II Il were Gods will they should
perish, 1t would be Unnecessary for US
20 pit our puny selves against the count
less docks Ger our Nation; therefore we,
the John Burroughs Club Of Force
School. wish 10 state 10 his honor. the
President Of the United States. sitting
rs a judge in this case. that these birds
should not die, but should be allowed TO
remain alive In their native haunts, with
no legislative sentence hanging, dread
menace. over their heads
signed: Harold Y. T. Roach. Ed
ward r. Tindou, Esther J. Rogers.
Charles Keene Jr., Hamilton Bradley,
Dorothy SheckeUs, Merrill X. Clement
son and James b. Bradley"