Evening star., 1924-11-30

Government and State game offi-
ciaIs,, scientists. conservationists ana
hundreds of individual sportsmen Will
meet December and 8 in New York
city in the eleventh national game
conference, which is sponsored by the
American Protective Game Associa-
tion. These conferences have always
been regarded as important, but the
one this year is especially SO because
1t will be the final roundup In the
drive that Is being made to secure
the passage by Congress at the
earliest possible date OF the measure
known as the game retuge' puolio
shooting ground bill.
This legislation has been reported
fayorably by the committees on agri-
culture of both the House and Senate
and its hackers are hopeful that the
bill will be ono of the first OF the
approaching session to be sent from
the Capitol to the White House for
the approval of President Coolidge.
1t is described as a measure tnat
substitutes constructive development
for Intellectual petty restrictions In
saving free waterfowl shooting Tor
American sportsmen.
Indiscrfminate drainage projects,
large percentage OF which are salo
to have turned out to be or little
| or no value to agricultural interests
have removed so much OF the water
and marsh land commonly used oy
migratory wild fowl that their feed
ing, breeding and resting places are
| faced with total elimination. Earlier
migratory bird legislation did not
meet with this situation. Now, since
there have been drained in this
country areas one-third larger than
the whole Of New England, or larger
than the combined surfaces OF the
Great Lakes, the sportsmen OF the
nation, under the leadership OF the
American Game Protective Associa-
tion, are urging Congress to give
| them q law that win save their sport
The game refuge, public shooting
ground bill provides for the purchase
or lease by the Federal Government
Of the best remaining feeding. breed
| ing and resting areas for migratory
wild fowl to servo as permanent
/ refugees for this class OF game.
Free shsotisg Grounds.
That Is the first purpose Of the
MEASURE. The second deals with the
situation arising out OF the fact that
| during the last few years so much OF
| the available ducking grounds OF the
l country mas DScu tdhSh up ny "Soa@uJ
| individuals and clubs that today tho
| man of ordinary means Is finding 1t
| increasingly difficult to discover q
| place. In which he may hunt. The bill
| provides for the purchase or lease by
| the Government each year OF in
| creased numbers Of public shooting
| grounds where, evory one may go and
| ana good sport. .e
The bill also provides the means for
the study and elimination Of tho duck
| disease which within recent year.
has killed ten million ducks In Utah
| alone; for the Improvement OF areas
| entirely suitable to wild fowl except
| that there Is now insufficient feed, and
| for the study Of migratory routes and
| for other scientific Investigations es-
sential to the. conservation and deveI-
/ opmeut of wild fowl
| Perhaps the most important Tea
ture OF the bill Is the fact that Il
VIII cost the general taxpayers OF the
nation nothing. All tbs funds peces-
sssy to carry out ito purpose viii b
derived : from license fees OF u
each from all hunters Of migra-