South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-11-19
Conservation of
the, Forest and
Wild Life A sked
Dr.. William T. Hornaday
Points Out Tendency to De-
stroy Natures Handiwork.

Civilized man EXTERN mates whole
species OF wild birds. heats and
fishes Rs TO savages have dreamed
OF doing. II left alone. the short
sighted. selfish and cruel members
OF the American nation would quick
II exterminate al our valuable
forms OF wild life and our valuable
timber and forests.
The ruthless destruction OF the
pest must not DO permitted 70 con
tinue. II Is both wasteful. wicked
and suicidal Hereafter, IN the
United States ard its territorial pos
sessions. not one tree should be cut
down. not one BIRD, mammal or fish
should be killed. without a reason so
good that IL fully justihes the act.
The number OF persons who are
now determlnedly bent on destroy
ing the wild life and forests OF
North America for their own selfish
purposes Is enormous. The number
OF men and boys who annually 60
out with deadly fire arms to hunt
the pitifuI remnant Of game in the
United States must be between 81
600 900 and 1000 .OOOi Think OF that
army! And in that army there are
hundreds OF thousands OF men and
boys who will shoot and eat our
most valuable sOng-birds woodpeck-
ers, grouse. and shOre-birds. where
ever they can do so without detec-
ton. There are also thousands OF
persons who are so needless and so
wicked that they do not mind setting
fire 10 forests whenever their care
lessness escapes detection and there
is no fear OF punishment
The Army OF Defense.
Opposed to the great Army of De
struction Is the numerically small
Army OF Defence. which for IS
years has BEEN struggling 10 keep
down the records OF slaughter. and
protect the remnant Of our wild life
and forests. In this the national
government and the state govern
ments are assisting by every means
they can command. A great many
good men and women are struggling
hard and expending money TO pre-
serve for children and young people
OF the future the remnant of the
wild life that once made our coun-
try 30 interesting and so beautiful
To them the protection OF wild life
and forests is a matter Of duty, a
white mans burden that cannot
'be ignored by conscientious people.
OF course the mean and the sordil
care nothing about T.
Tho Duff. Of tho nnwr
II nov quite time that the Boy
Scouts of America should manfully
take up and carry their share o.
this burden. But for the unseldsn
efforts Of the men and women who
worked hard In the past to rrotec.
Your interests, there would today be
not one wild bird left alive I'm the
United States for any OF YOU to
study and enjoy
The Boy scouts OF today have
solemn duty in the protection of the
remaining beasts and birds for the
Boy Scouts OF Tomorrow,
Merely 20 study the birds and
delightfuIly study their habits. &,
not enough. The demand Of the sit
uation IS for haIJ labor and the
sweat OF toll in stopping slaughter
Far too long have the people OF al
North America enjoyed recklessly
liberal killing privileges which they
never should have had All over the
United States cur birds and nam
mails are being eNterminated accord
Ing 10 law. All our birds. quad
rupeds. and game fishes must have
better protection; and II Is time
for the Boy Scouts Of America tc
take up this cause as one demand
ing constant effort and constant
sacrifice. i is a cause that now ser
iOusly affects the market basket
and the dinner-paN.
Kindness To Domestic Animals.
To a body like the Roy Scouts OF
America 10 Is necessary 20 mention
this subject only by title. Every
scout IS a boy OF honor. and there
fore no scou. ever would accord "a
n helpless animal any treatment
that would be painful negleCtful. OF
in any manner unjust A boy OF
honor cannot treat even a worm un-
Justly. He will remember that the
cat. the dos. horse. and OK are help
less prisoners IN his hands. Deepen
dent upon MS mercy and thought
fulness. It - only the meanest OF
men who treat their prisoners OF
their faithful servants with cruelty
or neglect. The bravest are the
tenderest." The real heroes OF life
always are those who protect and
care for those who cannot protect
themselves
Protection Of Forests from Fires.
This Is another subject that need
be mentioned only by title Every
American scout knows either by Or
servntlon or by hear-say. the mean
ing a bad forest fire; the marvel
Gus quickness with which such fires
got beyond human control the dan
ger 20 human ufe; the awful slauch-
ter OF timber resources: the destruc-
ton OF wild life; ana the long dis
fg1lrement OF The face OF Nature. To
start a forest fire wantonly Is q
crime. severely punishable bv law,
"a permit one 20 start by slothfulness
or lack OF care is criminal careless
ness. and - enough 20 strip ans
scout of all his merit badges az one
stroke
But every scout knows all this
and may az once be ranked as a
defender OF the forests. The closest
cooperation exists between National
and state Conserva.ions and the Boy
Scouts OF America.