CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 
CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME 
A publication devoted to the conserva- 
tion of wild life and published quarterly 
by the California State Fish and Game 
Commission. 
Sent free to citizens of the State of Cali- 
fornia. Offered in exchange for ornitho- 
feeea mammalogical and similar period- 
icals. 
The articles published in CALIFORNIA FISH 
AND GAME are not copyrighted and may be 
reproduced in other periodicals, provided 
due credit is given the California Fish and 
Game Commission. Editors of newspapers 
and periodicals are invited to make use of 
pertinent material. 
All material for publication should be 
sent to H. C. Bryant, Museum of Verte- 
brate Zoology, Berkeley, Cal. 
July 15, 1918. 
“To the profiteering proposal of the 
Pseudo-Patriots, the Patriots for revenue 
only, that protection of wild life in war 
time be relaxed, the united hosts of con- 
servation reply: 
‘YOU SHALL NOT PASS.’ 
“Let this be the slogan of every farmer, 
of all who dwell in the open, and of all 
who love nature and who wish to see our 
natural resources preserved for the per- 
petual use of our people and not de- 
stroyed for all time to gratify the greed 
of a moment.’’—Theodore Roosevelt. 
KELP. 
We have long realized the value of our 
fishery resources, but we have just begun 
to find out that there are other products 
of the sea which can be utilized. That 
the vegetable life, as well as the animal 
life, can be made a source of profit is 
shown by the kelp industry. Formerly 
used only for the making of souvenirs, 
the common kelp of the southern Cali- 
fornia coast is now the basis for the 
manufacture of potash, a material impor- 
tant in the manufacture of fertilizers and 
just now a necessary component of war 
ammunition. In recognition of a new 
and important industry, and in order to 
acquaint our readers with interesting 
facts related to the industry, we are 
issuing this “Kelp Number.” 
WHO’S TO BLAME? 
To hear some persons talk one would 
think that the Fish and Game Commis- 
sioners were among those most to be 
detested. Some persons apparently even 
have a personal grievance against the 
135 
men themselves. The truth of the mat- 
ter is that such persons talk disparag- 
ingly of the Fish and Game Commission 
simply because the commission enforces 
the fish and game laws. It will be seen 
also that the professional agitators are 
almost always those who are commer- 
cially interested in fish and game. 
Some statements made lead one to con- 
clude that the Fish and Game Commission 
makes the game laws and that it alone 
must be held responsible for any disturb- 
ing provisions. Of course, this is not 
true. The legislature is entirely respon- 
sible for fish and game laws. One 
function of the Commission is to enforce 
these laws, and consequently it must 
stand along with other bodies which en- 
force the laws and be the subject of 
eontinual criticism. No matter how 
faithful a Fish and Game Commission 
may perform its duties it must still be 
the recipient of vituperations without 
number. 
It is remarkable how many people be- 
lieve that a law can be repealed or 
amended by attacking the Fish and Game 
Commission. Exactly the opposite atti- 
tude will bring the best results, because 
there is no better way to secure the repeal 
of a bad law than to rigidly enforce it. 
The state constitution provides for the 
initiative and recall, and relief is always 
possible by utilizing the lawful means at 
hand. 
TALK VS. ACTION. 
Statements to the effect that the game 
laws are not being enforced are far too 
common. Letters are constantly written 
to newspapers and statements made in 
public regarding known violations of the 
game laws. If the persons making these 
statements would be half as active in 
reporting violations to the proper authori- 
ties as they are in giving publicity to 
violations, conditions would be greatly 
improved. For some unknown reason 
people take delight in pointing out viola- 
tions. but when asked to swear out a 
warrant for the arrest of a violator they 
immediately say, “Let George do it.” A 
game warden can not always be on the 
spot when a game law is violated, but he 
can reach the spot and make a conviction 
if the proper information is furnished 
