INITIATING THE CAMPAIGN 73 



Note. — It is presumed here that one man with a horse and rig will be able 

 to do both the oiling and fish work, giving about half of his time to each. 

 For this reason, the total engagement of 8 months for the man and the horse 

 and rig is split up into 4 months at oiling and 4 months at fish work. 



Figures here given for the sake of illustration should in no way be relied 

 upon as unit costs for work. 



QUESTIONS OF POLICY 



With the survey completed and a careful estimate made as 

 above outlined, the next step is to get the money for the cam- 

 paign, but before efforts are made in this direction, a definite 

 policy as to what part of the cost of eradicating breeding places 

 on private property should be met 'by the property-owner or 

 tenant and what part should be defrayed out of the anti-mosquito 

 fund must be decided on. 



This question must be definitely settled at this point, because 

 it is a certainty that a very large portion of the work required 

 will be on private property. If the public funds are to be spent 

 without restrictions on private property, the entire amount of 

 the estimate should be asked for. If, however, private property- 

 owners are to be compelled to do their own work, the sum required 

 for the prosecution of the campaign will be greatly lessened. It 

 will, of course, be necessary to put the public property, such as 

 streets, parks, municipal grounds, etc., in shape and keep it in 

 shape, as well as to maintain an adequate inspection force, but 

 most of the heavy items, such as drainage, oiling, etc., will be 

 eliminated. 



In most of the demonstration projects with which the writer 

 has been connected, it has been customary to do at least a part 

 of the work necessary to prevent breeding on private property. 

 In some cases, everything was done without cost to the property- 

 owner; in others, the cost of drainage, etc., was charged up to 

 them, but oiling, fish control, etc., were free; in still others, 

 routine oiling, fish control and drainage were free, but property- 

 owners were expected to look after their own cisterns, fish-ponds 

 and other special breeding places. 



There are many angles to this question, which must be care- 

 fully thought out. The average property-owner does not want 

 to bother himself with drainage, inspections, oiling, etc. nor can 

 he be depended upon to do such work thoroughly. And too 

 many prosecutions will arouse antagonism toward the campaign 



