Evening star., 1928-04-21

Now Pepys was man after ones
own heart: he was not afraid TO con-
cede that ne knew little OF the lingo
of sporting. when, in 1868, he recorded
in his diary:
Good and much company. and a
good dinner: most of their discourse
vas about hunting, in a dialect l un-
derstand very little
So, thinking OF Pepys and Senator
Norbeck's bill to protect migratory BIRDS
this question vas propounded by tel
ephone To the Senator:
What would happen, Senator Nor
beck. If every migratory bird IN Amer
lea were destr0yed?"
One could hear over the telephone
the doughty Senator gasp at that pre-
posterOus question, but he came back
with:
why. We would keep on living
lust as we would il ali horses died
and all cattle and all sheep and the
flowers were killed. and all music Stilleo
Somehow. We would find way 10 live
on. But who wants TO destroy the game
birds. or kill the flowers or still the
nlusie2R
what Is the good OF your bill TO
protect the migratory birds? What Is
the actual commercial or utilitarian val
ue of those birds for which you are
asking the Government TO appropriate
million dollarS?"
Il don't know the economic valua-
ton of the game birds. ASK the BIO
logic Survey Bureau of the Department
of Agriculture. they can tell you. Be-
sides. don't hold me responsible Tor
that amendment to my bill calling Tor
a Federal appropriation OF million
NV bill originally provided revenue to
enforce the law, through an annual
license fee of 81 for hunting on the re-
serves but some States rights opposi-
ton amended 1t and cut out the Federal
hunting license. That left no funds al
all for enforcement or for the purpose
of refugees To protect the birds | don I
count the passage OF the bib BY tnt
Senate. with that miilion-dollar amend
ment for funds. as victory The bill
must face the House yet--with that
million in it."
@&
Later. during a cali at the Senator S
Office;
'As it Is for the interest Of sport
"No-~the bill is not q sporting meas
ure, / understand YOU newspaper men
--you put your questions IN a way to
GET our reaction, you know better, But
40 to the Biological Survey Bureau
youll get the valuation Of the birds in
volved. Here's a pamphlet by William
T. Hornaday, head of the New YORK
Geological Park, prepared as propa-
ganda to support my bill. It's reliable
and enlightening,
So read the pamphlet. whose OPEN
ing page said;
"Sportsmen. do you wish shooting
sport to continued Or do YOU wish
soon TO exterminate 1t by statute laws
Desiring its continuance, We now
advise:
THAT all bag limits be reduced SO
per cent.
THAT all open seasons be reduced SO
per cent.
yidual only one year out OF every TIVE
years.
THAT the resident hunting license be
raised 200 per cent
ASK the Secretary Of Agriculture sc
reduce by S0 per cent the Federal hag
limits and open season ON migratory
BIRDS"
For the continuation of this thrilling
story eg bill that Is not a sportsman :
measure. read the Hornaday namphlet
It's bound In red~-or nc least the reader
will think SO, hut We city writer's
pepys and I~~dont understand the dia-
leet very we'll. and SO are easily mixed
and We confuse the price of crow meat
with the Importance of refsiges tc breed
and protect pigeons, wild ducks. swans
and geese, also eagles and vultureS, per-
haps,
IS
what would happen II all the mi
gfatory birds We're deStroyede" That
same question Was plunked at one az
the highest authorities IN the Rialogie
Survey, Senator NoFheck thinks we
would find life rather dreary," was add
ed Suggessively,
mo. We wouldn't answered th>
scientist, THE Insects would soon eat
las up and there would be no more hu.
man life"
But the Norheck bill refers only 10
migratory game birds | am told that
wild ducks don't live on bugs"
Yes, they do a large eNtent. Xan
can safely say that oa per cent ef mis-
gratory birds are lnSeetIyorous, We