The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-02-24
MAXIM SENDS OUT
INSECT WARMING BY
WSY RADIO WAVES

DR., Hudson Maxim, eminent scien-
fist and inventor, who is now in Bir-
mingham, sent out a serious warn
ing against the growth of insect
pests Friday night when he delivered
the following address over w S Y
radio:
We, the American people. are today
face to face with a far more serious
situation with insect pests through
cut the country than we ever have
been or are ever likely to be with
any foreign human foe.
We may ask the question. in all Sc
riousness; Man or bug, which shall
inherit the earth?
There are, all over the country
wide and increasing areas of infesta-
ton by insect pests, besides all man
ner of blighting, killing fungi.
Some of the insects pests, notably
the Gypsy Moth, which has already
secured a foothold in New Jersey
are SC all-devouring and ravenous,
that they would, if not stopped or
controlled, in a few years practically
convert the entire country into des-
ert.
The people must rouse themselves
from apathy to a realization of the
danger, and appeal to Congress and
| to their state governments fer i'm
mediate and effective action or it
will soon be too late. Congress
should appropriate 500. 100000 a year
| for the next 10 years to fight insect
| pests and the economic saving which
| would result from such an expendi-
/ ture would be incalculable. FCr no
1 other purpose whatsoever could Con-
gress appropriate $100,000,000 where
it would do the people of the entire
| country so much good and save them
| 10 and aNnapg
annually.
| | am glad that real, thorough
going campaign has at last been
| started to combat the cotton boil
weevil under the leadership OF that
eminent scientist and business man,
DR.. Miller Reese Hutchinson. He is a
| southerner and understands the
needs of the south, and his business
and engineering experience in the
north, and his large acquaintance
and friendly relations with leading
scientific men eminent1y qualify him
for the job.
During the World war, more than
"a. 600 different inventions and de-
vices were submitted to the commit
tee on ordnance and explosives of the
naval consulting board, of which
committee l was chairman.
Dr. Hutchison served on this com
| mittee, ana L nad Il rare oppol luHily
of testing both his inventive and his
executive abilities
| When Napoleon was asked If he
was willing to undertake the defense
Of the French convention, he replied
that he was willing, and that he was
in the habit of accomplishing that
which he undertook. Like Napoleon,
DR.. Hutchinson is in the habit of ac-
complishing that which he under
takes, and l congratulate the people
of the south that they have at the
head of this campaign such an effi-
cheney expert as DR.. Hutchinson.
/ was asked by DIR. Hutchinson to
visit the boil weevil convention at
! Atlanta to offer any suggestions for
combating the weevil that might oc-
! cur to me, and have made some sug-
gestions which l hope will be consid-
cred merely as suggestions and not
as solutions of the problem.
1t was the good advice of Benja-
min Franklin's Poor Richard, to quit
not certainty for expectation; also
never to let go with one hand before
getting a hold with the other. There
| fore, l strongly advise tenacious ad-
| herence to the use of calcium ar
senate by methods found effective
until some other and more effective
means of combating the weevil shall
have been discovered IL ever such
means are discovered.