The Dolores star., 1924-01-11

the principal winter home of the waterfowl that
travel with the between the Gulf and
northern Canada. and are marshy lakes con-
nected by waterways. is vermilion Bay of the
Gulf. No. l is the Rockefeller Foundation Wild
Life Refuge of $1,000 acres. No. 2, called Pecan
Island. contains 100000 acres. No. is the private
holding of the Vermilion Bay company. b7.OOo
acres No. Is the Louisiana State Wild Life
Refuge, 1000 acres. No. 5 Is Marsh Island wild
Life Refuge of 79,3OO acres, purchased by MIS-.
Russell Sage and dedicated to the permanent pro-
lection of bird life. No. Q marks the location OF
the home and bird refuge Of Edward A. Mcllhen-
ny, nationally famous for his efforts In behalf OF
bird protection
Yes; times have changed and we have changed
with them. The national parks movement, one
of the lvest nonpoitcal issues Of the day. is typi
cal and suggests the extent of the change. up TO
1912 national parks then twelve In number.
were neglected by the federal government and were
considered a nuisance rather than an asset. Mem
bers of congress turned deaf ear to any plead
ing of their cause and hastily moved away from the
peader In the General Federation OF Womens
Clubs this story is now told with glee: In lel2
Mrs John D. Sherman was elected chairman OF
the department of conservation Of natural re-
sources then largely devoted to sentimental
and lady-like effort In behalf of the song birds
md frees When she suggested the creation of
n division of Natural Scenery there was a iaugh
and the national officers said. But scenery isn't
n natural resource" However, she had her way
and today no organization LII 'he Souh''S 80 AoH>
keen-or more infuential-in the nationwide
movement toward national parks state parks mu-
nIcipal Fairgrounds childrens gardens nature
sndv in public schools. the outdoor life and the
preservation of all kinds of Wild animal life ano
game fish. - -.
In 1913 the late Franklin X. Lane became sec
rotary Of the interior In the first Wilson cabinet
ue wss the first secretary with the vision to see
In our national parks-which contain the nnest
sc.,erv IN earth--an economic asset of the hrst
ronk For the first time there was sympathy and
orcouro cement in the Interior department for the
nature lovers They were regarded as co-worKers
not cranks
From then on things moved rapidly New ma
,,ornl marks of the first class-like Rocky Noun
ta,n Grand Canyon and Mount Mckinley-were
created. The national park service was estap'
Iisbed The National Parks association OF nature
,nyers was organized. Affllation among the many
nn,,reJoving and natureprotectng organizations
- - hougbt about Adverse legislation In congress
,,as defeated and beneficial legislation passed
And the army is drawn up to repel rurther al.
.,.s hv commercial interests upon the natural
beauty spots OF the country.
r,ho slogan "See America First" was porn ana
eourd many hearers. Many hundreds OF millions
~ ,mer,can dollars formerly spent abroad ench
~ .'a,. hy American slghtseers now stay at home
Moro tbau 100000 tourists last year visited the
an.,oraI norks-about 80 per cent of them In their
o,yn cars. These visitors came from every state
In the Union Every wide-awake ana seir-respeet'
IL ,n, c,tv md town in the scenic West has an auto
oomn Maine estimates Its tourist business at $4o'
0oOOOo year. States like Michigan Wisconsin