Great Falls tribune., 1922-04-27

adornments, is making positively its
last appearance in New York millinery
shops this season. In anotherr year,
it is expected, it will have completed
| disappeared, because by that time it is
going to be dangerous to sell it. Con-
sequently, nearly every hat shop win
dow in the city now contains a gorge
GUS display Of paradise plumes, mark
ed down to bargain prices.
Because of the near extinction of
the bird of paradise species, the i'm
portation of paradise feathers was for
bidden in the tariff law, of 1913, but
since that act neglected to place any
restrictions upon their sale, they have
regularity in the millinery market.
The new tariff law, however, contains
the necessary restrictions in an amend
ment which puts on the dealer the
burden of proving his stock Of feathers
was in this country in or before 1913:
Hence, the present intense anxiety of
dealers to dispose Of their paradise
feathers before the act is put into
effect.
Under the old law, 1t was the gov
ernment that had to supply the proof
which was impractical. About the only
way the federal authorities could OBJ
tain q conviction was to catch snug
gler in the act Of bringing paradise
feathers into the country. Once they
were here, they were as safe as if they
had been formally passed by the Gus
toms officials. The smuggler had no
a jobber, who, in turn, sold them to
department stores or milliners, to
whom he furnished certificates and
other data designed to show that the
merchandise had been In the United
States the required number of years.
And, as the law did not question the
good faith of dealers who bought feath-
ers on the strength Of these shaky
certificates, neither could the federal
district attorney.
No Shortage Of PIumos
Thus, the smuggling of paradise
feathers into this country has been
proceeding briskly for the last nine
years, during which time the millinery
market has never been annoyed by
a shortage. The demand for the
plumes, according to one dealer, is 'as
steady as that for diamonds" SO that
smugglers have always been able to
dispose of their goods promptly. Most
Of the smuggling has been carried on
BY seamen and officials of merchant
ships from the Mediterranean, who
usually conceal the feathers under their
clothing.
Lean seamen," one official tells us.
have waddled off their ships swollen
and puffed like Falstaffs by layers
upon layers of plumes strapped to their
limbs and trunks. On some lines Gus
toms inspectors first take a glimpse
at the neck and then at the waist Of
the seamen. If they observe a No. IA
neck springing out of Il 6O-inch torso
they make an arrest and usually re-
cover a few thousand dollars worth
of feathers. On one occasion, sus-
piciously we'll -timbered and pompous
ship captain was searched and q mere
core or kernel of human being found
running through a huge structure of
All of the confiscated plumes, as
specified in the 1913 law have been
turned over to the National Association
Of Audubon societies. which has formed
into exhibits and distributed them
among go different museums through
out the country. About twenty thou
sand dollars worth of plumes, 1t Is
said, are to be found in these collec-
tons.
In spite Of these gratifying con-
tributions to science, the Audubon so
cieties, under the leadership of their
president, r. Gilbert Pearson, have
never ceased to agitate for a more
effective law. Their only fear has
been that it would come too late
after the last of the "Manukdewata"
birds of the gods) as they are called
in East Indian islands, had fallen vic
tim to feminine fashions.
The birds are found in Papua, New
Guinea and certain parts of Africa,
where they are easily slaughtered by
the natives during the mating season.
'Only the full grown male bird has
the gorgeous spread Of feathers which !
is coveted by commerce" explains q
New York dealer, who is something Of
an authority on the subject. This is |
at it's best during the courting season !
when they hold their annual dancing |
exhibits for the benefit of the less
gorgeous but highly priced females.
Males Hold Exhibition
"On this occasion, the male birds
dance and fly about, exhibiting their
attractions in a sort of competitive
examination while the females stand
silently by. seyeing them critically and
finally making choice. During this |
dancing party the birds are so pre-
occupied and worried for fear they |
won't be chosen that they lose all
reply from r. w. Marsh, secretary
70