The Washington herald., 1922-10-10

Is the good old-fash oned Amer
ican Thanksgiving only a name to-
day?
Has It taken its place in history
with the flint-lock musket. the
war-painted Ind an and the old
family surrey?
And has its disappearance
deeper significance that touches
something vital at the very root Of
our national lfe?
Robert W. Chambers. known to
millions of American readers
through his romantic novels, who.
in addition to being a popular nov
el st, is an authority on forestry
and the preservation OF wild game,
believes that II has.
That We Americans have wasted.
ignorantly. the natural resources
with which God endowed our coun-
try. /. a .self-evident propos tion."
says Mr.. Chambers. in the Novem-
Der issue of McCalrs Magazine.
"Incessant repetition Of this fact
is wearisome and irritating to
many. But until we mericans are
sufficiently irritated to wake. think
out a remedy, and apply 1t. the
Jerem abs and Cassandras among
US are going TO irritate and warn
us and interfere with our national
complacency until that slumbering
monster. Public Opin on. is aroused
with a roar.
IN spring and early summer
to remind one another that one Of
the most vital of all food supplies
destined for human consumption
once was derived-and. n a meas
ure. still is drawn-from the wild
life of the land.
Not SO very long ago Fulton
Market in New York City furnished
a wonderful display for the thrifty
housew fe.
In sprinng and early summer
the wild fresh-water fish-tons of
them-covered the ice-sheeted
slabs. speckled trout. salmon. lake
trout. black bass-a rainbow spec
tacle indeed!
Feathers and Fur In Winter.
in autumn and winter the mar
ket was almost buried n feathers
and fur. Great. fat wild turkeys
hung everywhere. Quail by the
dozens. clusters of woodcock and
Snipe III uOSChS. Va VI oNSe
of ruffed grouse. pinnated grouse
Cor prairie hens). ptarmigan. wild
geese, Wild swan. black brant; duck
of many species-mallard. teal
widgeon. canvas-back. redhead.
pintail, woodduck. bufflehead.
Fat deer hung high between the
punches OF feathered game: here
and there a bear sprawled: hun
IN e
dangled in rows, with here and
there 'possum or raccoon.
And. in great basket crates on
the sidewalk n front OF the stalls,
thousands of red-breasted wild
pigeons were offered at 10 cents
each. You can get 81. 900 today for
a live passenger pigeon. There are
practically no more in the world.
Us it not astounding that the
wornout, overpopulated Old World
now furnishes to the New World
pract cally the only game food
within reach of our housewives?
rs there any worse example OF
stupidity. ignorance and waste? The
forests are nearly gone. and with
them the wild game they sheltered.
irresponsible meanwells are draining
marshes which will be OF no use when
drained, and our ducks and geese and
snipe will vanish.
Forest fiyes, grass fires, marsh fires.
destruction of divisional hedges. OF
'woodlots, Of forests, are swiftly de-
stroying what remains Of that wild
life which once furnished our people
with so important and SO cheap a
supply Of food.
"If protected, our wild game birds
and game animals can. and will. keep
our fields and forests clear of those
animal and insect pests which ruin
thousands and thousands Of farmers
every year.
IF protected and forested. wild
game could supply our population
with cheap. wholesome. nutritious. de-
lectable food.
Ought to Enjoy Privileges.
I'VE Americans by inheritance and
tradition ought to enjoy these privi-
leges today. We do not because OF
the Ignorance. waste and selfishness
Of earlier generations. They robbed
us. Today. every violator is a plain
thief. II is the nation he steals from
not ignorantly as did the former
generations, but wilfully, maliciously.
contemptibly.
How are we to protect what re-
mains2
How can we preserve II. foster
II. increase 1t for the common en-
joyment and profit OF all Americans?
wild game is protected on private
estates in, Europe, but in America