Evening star., 1925-03-19
MRS. F|SKE STARTS
WAR ON IRON TRAP
Actress ASSails Brutal Meth.
DDS Widely Used in Captur-
ing Fur-Bearing Animals.

Formation of a committee to carry
on a national campaign against use
or the steel trap in the capture OF
tur-bearfng animals was announced
by Mrs. Minnie Maddern Fiskc at {
luncheon given in her honor at the
MayfioWer Hotel today.
William X. Horton. president of the
Apertcan Humane Association, under
whose auspices the work of the com
mittee will be carried on, is chairman
OF the committee and Commander
Edward Breck, a recognized authority
on the trapping of fur-bearing ami
mails, Will act in an advisory capacity
In the campaign of the committee fol
legislative action.
Mrs. Ffske said civilization had me-
the responsibility of care toward the
dumb creatures of the world with
out intelligence, without justice and
without mercy"
immediate objects of the proposed
movement, Commander Breck said in
an address, ARE the presentation oil
the facts to the public and the enact
ment of law by State Legislatures
against the use of all non killing
traps. He added that the elimination
of these Instruments Of torture"
would not only be a boon to the ami
NAL kingdom, but would increase the
profits of the fur trade, since de-
crease in production naturally in
creases prices.
Not counting the skins produced
by the fur farms. or shot or killed in
other humaner ways. there remain
something like ninety to hundred
million fur-bearing animals caught
every year In the barbarous non-kill-
ing traps against which this move
ment is being started"
Comdr. Breck pointed out that it is
not the intention of those interested
in the campaign to decry the beauty
of furs or to attack the legitimate
activities of the fur trade
If any one of US will consider Just
what the supports of his daily life
are" Mrs. Fiske said, "he will be ap-
palled, if he is "A being of ina gina :
tion and sensibility, by the ferocities
that are resorted to in order that he
may eat, wear clothes, amuse him
self. The amazing part of it is that
every one of these savage acts is un-
necessary for his comfort
Survival of snvagery.
TT is nothing more nor less than
the persistence of that prehistoric
savagery that makes ii seem neces-
sary in this modern day still to clothe
ourselves In the skins of animals and
to eat their flesh. Society is so or
ganized as to make it seem necessary
for thousands of shouting, cursine
men to stand knee-deep in blood. deal
ing ferocious blows right and Ief,
upon millions of shrieking animals in
order that we may be fed. More ter
rible than actual slaughter is the
ng-drawn-out term of misery of the
cattle on the range. Every year in
the United States we allow an aver
age of more than 5000, 900 cattle
abandoned without food or shelter, to
perish on the ranges"
Mrs. Fiske referred to the Spanish
bullhght as IAN intellectual and
moral throwback to the humane
cause" adding thaL-hese savageries
are not so astounding when it is re-
membered that in the time of Queen
Elizabeth men and women of the
court amused themselves by shooting
arrows into the bodies of deer which
struggled futilely in nets
Nowhere in all the history of
crimes and cruelties is there anything
for cold-blooded genius in invention
OF torment-nowhere is there any
thing to compare with that little
machine of hell on earth-the steel
trap. The steel trap has no place In
anything even remotely describing
itself as civilization, and to abolish
II we shall rely upon the modern
woman"
Mrs. George Barnett, who presided
as chairman of the luncheon, re-
ferred to this work as an example to
future generations in teaching them
kindness to dependents, help for the
helpless, and the duty of the strong
to the weak"
The luncheon was attended by more
than a score of men and women
prominent in social and club life in
Washington. On the committee on
arrangements, in addition to Mrs
Barnett, were Mrs. Ira l.. Bennett
Mrs. Charles Burnett, Mrs. Truman c.
Palmer, Mrs. Guy d. Goff, Mrs. Maude
Howell Smith and Comdr. Breck.