Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-04-27

Now York, April 27.-The plunage
of the bird OF paradise. one OF the
loveliest and cruelist OF feminine
adornments. 10 making positively It's
last appearance in New York millinery
shops this season. In another year.
II II expected, IL will have completely
disappeared. because by that time 1t
IL going 70 be dangerous To sell u.
Consequently. nearly every hat shop
window in the city now contains
gorgeous display Of paradise plumes,
marked down to bargain prices.
Because OF the near extinction OF
the bird OF paradise species, the Inn
portation Of paradise feathers was
forbidden In the tariff law OF 1913,
but since that act neglected TO place
any restrictions upon their sale. they
have continued 70 appear with per-
sistent regularity In the millinery
market. The now tariff law, however.
contains the necessary restrictions In
an amendment which puts on tho
dealer the burden OF proving his stock
of feathers was in this country In or
before 1913. Hence, tho present in
tense anxiety Of dealers to dispose OF
their paradise feathers before the
act Is put into effect.
Under the old law. It was the Gov
ernment that had 10 supply the proof
which was impractical. About the
smuggler in the act OF bringing para
disc feathers into the country. Once
obtain a conviction was TO catch q
only way the Federal authorities coulC
they were here. they were az safe
as II they had been formally passed
by the customs officials. The smug-
gler had no trouble in disposing Of th'
feathers to a jobber, who. In turn, SOLE
them to department stores or nillin
ers, to whom he furnished certificates
, and other data designed TO show tina
the merchandise had been in tn
United States tho required number o
: years. And. as the law did not ques
ton the good faith OF dealers witt
: bought feathers on the strength o
= these shsky certificates. neither coul'
the Federal District Attorney.
No Shortage Of Plumes.
I Thus. the smuggling of paradis
feathers into this country has bee
- proceeding briskly for the last min
Q years, during which time tho nillin
2 cry market has never been annoye
{ by a shortage. The demand for IN
L plunes, according TO one dealer,
o 'as steady az that for diamonds" 2
h that smugglers have always been abb
to dispose OF their goods prompt,
II Most OF the smuggling has been cal
t? ried on by seamen and officers Of mel
= chant ships from the Mediterranee'
n who usually conceal the feathers ur
a der their clothing.
y Lean seamen." one official tel
us, have waddled off the.= shil
Df swollen and puffed like Falstaffs
:? layers upon layers OF plumes straps
e. TO their limbs and trunks. On son
II lines customs inspectors first take
le glimpse at the neck and then at Il
Is waist Of the seaman. II they o
Ia serve a No. IA neck springing out
al 60-inch torso they make an ARE
}; and usually recover few thousai
Is dollars worth OF feathers. On ol
of occasion. a suspiciously well-tirnber
97 and pornpous ship captain was scare
10 ed and a more core or kernel OF b
is man being found running through
huge structure Of feathers"
le All OF the confiscated plumea,
V. specified in the 1913 law. have be-
In turned over to the National Associ
n ton Of Audubon Societies, which
4 formed them into exhibits and d!
Sc tributed them among sixty differe
de museums throughout the COUNT
m About twenty thousand dollars wor
of plumes, It is said, are TO be fou
IN these collections.
- In spite OF these gratifying cont
buttons to science, the Audubon S
cieties, under the leadership OF tn
president. Mr.. 7. Gilbert Pears,
- have never ceased 10 agitate for
- more effective law. Their only Z,
has been that II would come too !:
after the last OF the ''Manukdewa
lg. (birds CT the gods) as they are cal
in East Indian Islands. had faI
ne victim to feminine fashions.
The birds are found in Papua. n
he Guinea and certain parts Of Atri
where they are easily slaughtered
ne. the natives during the mating s.
son.
ee. only the full grown mals bird
the gorgeous spread OF feathers VIII
Ills Is coveted by commerce." expla