The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1923-07-18
FUR ANIMAL IS
FASHIONS VICTIM
NATURALIe-S SAY MANY KINDS
ARE IN GREAT DANGER OF
EARLY DETERMINATION.
GOVERNMENT MAY INTERVENE
Having Saved the Migratory Game
and Song Birds, Uncle Sam Might
Take Action to Preserve ~Fur-Bearing
Mammals.
Bv EDWARD 3. CLARK

Washington.-Uncle Sam has Sue
ceeded In saving the lives of the mi
gratory game and song birds of the
United States, and now %naturalists and
lovers of the wild life generally hope
that soon means may be found by
which the government can at least help
in the plan TO save the f~ur-bearing
animals of the world from being sacri-
feed on the altar of fashion.
Uncle Sam has proved his power in
the bird case and it may be that he
can prove his pow er in the case of the
mammal. Signs point to the consum-
nation of a plan to prevent the whole
sale slaughter of the innocents of the
field and forest and to force woman to
give over her desire to wear furs In
sweltering hot weather as well as In
winter, the said woman being willing
to sacrifice her comfort for the purpose
of being in style.
The government has a great many
%naturalists in its employment and,
while they have not as yet associated
themselves in any movement to check
the killing of fur-bearing animals, 1t
Is known that naturalists in other
places are considering such a move
ment. Necessarily if a plan is proposed,
1t will find support in certain bureaus
of the Agriculture department, and Ia
ter probably will find its way into the
halls of congress for action.
Pioneer of Anti-Cruelty.
Two centuries ago Rev. James Gran
ger, a clergyman of the Church of
England, preached a sermon against
cruelty to the brute creation. He spoke
of the sufferings that the fur trade in
vOlved, and he censured generally the
abuse of animals. The parishioners of
Mr.. Granger said the sermon vas I'M
pertinent and, in a formal protest, they
declared that it was altogether derog-
atory to the dignity of the Church Of
England, that horses, dogs and other
animals should be mentioned in the
pulpit and that cruelty should be main
tanned as contrary to Christian mercy"
The history of this particular CASE
shows In one place that the parishion-
ers rather liked Parson Granger, and
so, after rapping him over the
k%nuckles, they apologized to the rest
of England for his conduct by saying
that he should be held blameless be-
cause he simply lost his temper. That
was two centuries ago, but the sound
ing of a note of protest against cruelty
even in this day and generation occa-
sionally is considered as sufficient evil
denee that the sounder ought to be
locked up in a lunatic asylum.
The American Museum of Natural
History is today attempting to secure
from different parts of the world a few
specimens of some of the mammals
which are vanishing with incredible
rapidity. The museum authorities fear
that all these animals will be gone in
short order, and their desire is not
to hasten that extinction but to secure
a few specimens which, anyway. would
be killed by the agents of fashion, in
order that posterity may know what
these creatures looked like when they
lived upon the earth.
Slaughter Should Be Checked.
1t is from the American Museum of
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