The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1925-12-22
FANCIES OF WOMEN
CAUSE OSTRICH SLUMP
WITH FEATHERS DISCARDED
ITS SKIN IS USED FOR SHOES.
THOUSANDS ARE SLAIN.

There's something impressive about
the ostrich. From Job to Mr. Kipling
the literary men have made a fuss
about the creature. He has his place
N orr proverbs, says the London
Daily Telegraph, though there IS no
reason TO believe that any ostrich ever
did what all his family are said to do.
But such are the penalties OF fame.
Nobody ever became a popular figure
without the voice of the people attrib-
ming to him foolish or unpleasant
habits. But now they report that the
ostrich is entering upon new age.
Years ago there was slump IN os-
triches. Their feathers ceased to please
the fair. Why this should have been
no man knows. The vicissitudes OF
feathers from one of the darkest mys-
teries OF fashion
The noble savage ever loves to wear
plumage at suitable and unsuitable
parts Of his figure. But when ne
achieves civilization he eschews teath-
ers. Greece and Rome wore none. IN
ri the prince OF Wales mounted feath-
ers. some six hundred years ago, Meth
er man or woman, in England cared
for them. Men gave them up some
long time ago, the age OF the lhree
Musketeers was the prime male plu-
mage. and only the army plumes It
self nowadays. But women were FULLY
and amply hedged till the very eve OF
the war The golden age OF the os-
trich. they say, was the year OF grace
1918 In that year the Oudtshoort dis
trict of the Cape, where ostriches most
do congregate, sold nearly three mil
lion pounds worth of feathers. 1t has
never had such prosperity since, and
last wear the value OF its exports had
fallen to a quarter OF million.
The tail and wings OF the ostrich
are as they ever were, and what they
used to be women still are, yet the
attraction OF one for the other has
ceased, and the farmers of the Cape
have come to dislike the ostrich as
much as Job did.
OF late it has occurred to some IN
genious mind that though women will
not wear ostrich feathers there is no
lust cause for impediment why they
should not wear ostrich skin, and this
material never having been heard OF
before has become very popular Tor
female shoes
The obvious objection that an os
trich cannot part With his skin as
comfortable as with his feathers, and
that the development OF the ostrich
shoe industry must cause the destruc-
ton of the birds that produced golden
harvests, does not weigh with the os-
trich farmers, who are not inclined to
wait till the various and mutable fancy
OF woman turns again to feathers, and
wish to be rid OF the unreliable birds
at almost any price.
So thousands are being slain, "and
their flesh turned into biltong," news
which excites in us some alarm. Bill
tong, it may be in the Cape, but what
will it be when it gets to London? So
much strange and durable flesh is al
ready being served under the name of
chicken
Even if the cook should devil it an
ostrich's drumstick might be hard to
bear In the public interest we depre-
cate this slaughter
The ostrich farmers ought to con-
slider their stock till fine feathers again
make fine birds. Surely the children
in the Swiss Family Robinson rode
upon ostriches. A team or two might
be supplied to the London Traffic Adj
visory Council for experiment and re-
port That should speed up transport.