Evening star., 1948-06-28
This and That
By Charles Z. TrdceUeH
BELLEVUE, Wash.

"BMLEVUE Wash.
Dear Sir:
II must tell you that we talked about birds
at our garden club this week and the members
were inspired by the quotations gave them
from your column, quotations that have saved
from time to time.
so you can see your influence Is far reaching.
Thank you much.
I'VE have not been able to hear the birds
on account of the noise of the airplanes but
we can see them. Yours truly, J. M. c..
Birds might have been expected to be fright
ened by planes but what Is the case?
Actually, the songsters pay very little atten-
ton.
Sensitive humans may shrink from the low
flyers, and be sad at the noise, but the two
legged ayiators in feathers scarcely register any
displeasure at all.
Occasionally when a four motor ship comes
far too low, the birds at the feeding station
will look up and few fly short distance
away.
Mostly there is never a ripple Of recognition.
The songs of the birds 60 on just the same.
During the intervals of low-fying planes, the
songs ripple out with added power and sweet
ness.
Low-fying planes make no sense in peace
time.
Tragedy often follows such flying. With all
eternity above, at least to the Heaviside layer,
there would seem no reason except d SHOW
of" spirit for planes coming low.
There Is one Naval aviator whose duties take
him out of town often, and he signals his re-
turn to his wife by "buzzing" the house as he
flies over on the way to the airfeld.
There is some sense to that. but very little
to needless low flying which frightens sensi-
tive people befors there is any need for them
to be frightened. That, II one may believe
world history, will come in time.
In neighborhoods ION the BEAM 1t Is a good
thing to work up a new philosophy OF listen
ing.
There is nothing that can be done, evidently,
about the low flying, or the fact that ones
personal neighborhood is ION the beam"
There are sky trails, as well as earthly trails,
and the planes must 60 over them.
II one kicks all the satisfaction received Is
a statement that one should be glad they are
not enemy planes.
This has happened, so the wise person will
suffer in silence.
But he may. At the same time, build up 4
philosophy all his own in listening.
He must look for the intervals.
Looking for the intervals in noise makes the
comparative quiet far more pleasing than the
ordinary quiet spells average people know.
There are some places: indeed, wnere no
sounds are heard except those made by birds.
Between that and our correspondents neigh
borhood, there are all degrees.
Where planes fly over low the need Is to
seize the moments as they come, and make the
most OF them If one is interested in bird life.
There will be many such moments, and the
birds will be found singing as usual in them.
Fortunately, the songsters are not worried in
the least.
They go right ahead singing their prettiest.
In their community life on this planet they
have put up with much.
They survived the ice age, and have come
down still singing.
Heat and cold, desert and sea-they know
them all
Ice storms have killed many millions Of
them but mankind has killed many more
millions.
The birds laugh at airplanes and all men
can do sgainst them Unless men are careful
ths birds, In truth, win laugh last.