Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-09-23

Warrington. ID. G.. Sept. 23.-This
fall season when FIVE or SIX million
Americans will shoulder their guns
and 10 hunting, when many thousands
will make money as guides and hosts
to sportsmen, and many millions who
do not go afield Will encounter the
wild things on the dinner plate, Is be-
lng used by sportsmen's organizations.
outdoor publications and other inter
ested parties to push a campaign for
a permanent system OF game pr0tec-
ton by game sanctuaries.
The situation in this country is
that wild fowl and other migratory
game birds have been increasing
greatly in the past few years as the
result of a Federal law giving them
protection throughout their Journeys up
and down the continent, but the pro-
lection OF our other game Is by no
means adequate. IL is true that many
states have improved their game laws.
but others are hopelessly lax. Some
species of game are increasing in
some places, but on the whole, game
other than migratory birds is barely
holding its own, while some valuable
species are threatened with extermi-
nation. Meanwhile the army Of
hunters grows every year.
This decreased game supply Is sheer
waste. The country could support
perhaps three or four times as much
game as Il does. That would mean
just three or four times as much food
and sport as we now get from wild
lands. Not TO bring them to the high
est state Of productivity by proper
restriction now is as foolish as pick
ing the fruit before II is ripe. And
the thing is especially worth doine
because the hunting in this country
can never be monopolized by a wealthy
few, but most always remain source
Of health. pleasure and food for al
the people. The great and growing
areas which are included in national
and state parks and forest reserves
insure this.
The Plan Proposed.
The plan now being urged is the
creation Of game sanctuaries in thes'
forest reserves. where hunting viii b.
prohibited. predatory animals destroy
ed and game propagated. From thes'
sanctuaries game will nat raily over
flow the surrounding country. max
ing OF the forest reserve in which i
is situated well stocked publi
shooting ground. In addition to this
game propagated in the sanctuarie
could be shipped to all parts Of tn
state.
Several bills have been introduce
in the House and Senate providin
for such sanctuaries. They all pro
vide that the state legislature mus
concur in the setting aside Of sane
tuary areas. since the game on thes
areas belongs to the state. So ther
is no transgression of states' right
in this provision.
It may seem that this measur
would benefit chiefly the West, wher
most of the forest reserves are. br
, as a matter Of fact. including tn
forest lands in the East acquired b
/, the Government under the act Of 1911
there are forest reserves in all exceT
few OF the North Central state
; New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Vii
ginia, Tennessee, North Carolin'
Georgia, Alabama, Arkansas an
Florida now all have national forei
areas in them. Thus a string
game sanctuaries could be establishe
all up and down the Atlantic coas
In the country surrounding the
would be found the very best of hun
ing. and the hunting for the who
! state would be greatly improved. Ever
hunter In the United States won
profit by these sanctuaries.