Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-02-05
California Plague of Mice
Viewed as Spur to Science

The plague Of millions of mice
which has come to the, vicinity of
Buena Vista, Calf, has been viewed
py the public throughout the country
as Offering a scientific problem. How
Iar nave the experts advanced in the
ability to meet such visitations?" ask
observers. There Is general recogni.
tion of the fact that the mice would
nave had no such free rein If man had
not engaged in the wholesale destruc-
ton of predatory birds and animals
, which might have checked the prog.
resS OF the rodents.
Don't censure the poor mice too
severely" advises the Ann Arbor
Tfmes-News. They are not willfully
warning on mankind. They were born
! into this world involuntarily, as human
beings are born, and they must eat to
survive. as humans must eat to sur
vive. They are subject to the law of
self preservation along with all other.
creatures. They're hungry and they
must eat. They are blissfully uncon-
scious OF the fact that they are en-
gagged in warfare with another species
of animal who is motivated by similar
impulses. And that's where man has
| fighting and why, and he has the
brains to fight intelligently."
1t Is agreed by the Providence Bulle-
tin that apparently this latest exploit
among the animals Ia prompted by no
malice whatever. 1t is simply one of
those mysterious urges to be on the
move" continues the Bulletin. IAN
instinct which curses every organism
possessed Of nervous system. But
this only makes the menace the more
terrible. Human beings. long schooled
hNy ~. ~NIo L. -
shows of Ill feeling. but these mightier
impulses OF nature are terrifying.
They make pawnS of the best of us.
What the f1eas, cookroaches and ear
wigs might do for us IL they suddenly
were moved by a collective cosmic
urge StaggerS the Imagination. Let us
be thankful that we have modern
Pipers who make 1t their business to
check sporadic uprisings If the fauna
got the notion OF one big parade, we
would all right speedily ride along in
it piecemeal."
History In biblical times furnishes
It's parallel to the st. Paul Dispatch,
which remarks that such a migration
In primitive times. with it's destruc-
ton of property and growing crops.
was accepted as punishment for sin.
The Philistines took a. visitation that
way and believed they ended the
plague" continues that paper. when
they sent back the Ark Of the Cove
nant adorned with Ave life size I'm
ages Of mice made Of gold as a tres
pass Offering to the Israelites. South
ern California can be convicted of no
consciousness of trespass or trans
gression to account for the plague.
Did 1t not vote dry at the last cleo.
ton? Perhaps the mice, too. have
caught the infection. AT least they
have gone dry or are searching for
drier spot than the one they have In
habited Martyred mice are these,
| who knows, dying for a great prin-
ciple?"
Robert Burns is authority for the
statement that the most carefully con-
sidered plans of mice and men are
quite frequently in the habit of going
wrong" says the Nashville Banner,
but it is something out OF the ordl-
nary for the plans Of men to be dis.
rupted on account of mice. California,
however, never does anything oy
halves, and so it is not surprising for
one of the most amazing mouse stories
in history to be received from that
direction" The Banner adds: "A
University OF California Zoologtst de-
claree that conditions are 'unbeiieV-
able and the word seems rather aptly
chosen" Referring to the complete
defeat of an army Of cats sent into
battle, the Albany Evening News feels
that 'it Is a strange state OF affairs
when mice can drive back all the cats
that can be modified. One wonders
if there may not yet be a purple cow,
and If, perchance. 1t will not be neces-
sary for some States to have a State
troop Of trained cats that will not re-
treat before an army of MICE"
y X +
zone Of the most curious phases Of
| the plague. as it appears to the St.
Joseph News Press, rs that the nat
ural enemies Of mice are said to be
agarpainR frona oil over Tia country