^Ije Butiution Societies! 



EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT 



Edited by T. GILBERT PEARSON, Secretary 



Address all correspondence, and send all remittances for dues and contributions, to 

 the National Association of Audubon Societies, 1974 Broadway, New York City. 



William Dutcher, President 

 Frederic A. Lucas, Acting President T. Gilbert Pearson, Secretary 



Theodore S. Palmer, First Vice-President Jonathan Dwight, Jr., Treasurer 

 Samuel T. Carter, Jr., Attorney 



Any person, club, school or company in sympathy with the objects of this Association may become 

 a member of it, and all are welcome. 



Classes of Membership in the National Association of Audubon Societies for the Protection of Wild 

 Birds and Animals: 



$5 annually pays for a Sustaining Membership 

 $100 paid at one time constitutes a Life Membership 

 $1,000 constitutes a person a Patron 

 $5,000 constitutes a person a Founder 

 $25,000 constitutes a person a Benefactor 



Form of Bequest: — I do hereby give and bequeath to the National Association of Audubon 

 Societies for the Protection of Wild Birds and Animals (Incorporated), of the City of New York. 



THE MIGRATORY BIRD TREATY BILL 



In the last issue of Bird-Lore reference 

 was made to a bill introduced in Congress 

 on January 13, 1917, by Representative 

 Flood of Virginia, the purpose of which 

 was to give force and power to the treaty 

 for the protection of migratory birds rat- 

 ified between this country and Great 

 Britain on December 7, 1916. That 

 Treaty, it will be recalled, covers the main 

 provisions of the McLean Law for the 

 protection of migratory birds enacted in 

 1913, concerning the constitutionality of 

 which some question has been raised. 



The same day that Mr. Flood took this 

 action a similar bill was introduced in the 

 Senate by Senator Hitchcock of Kansas, 

 and was referred to the Committee on 

 Agriculture. 



As the session of Congress this year ter- 

 minated on March 4, it was apparent from 

 the beginning that energetic action must 

 be taken if we hoped to get a considera- 

 tion of the measure in the jam of legisla- 

 tive work that Congress must consider. 

 This Association at once began an active 

 campaign in its interest. Many circulars 

 were sent to members, afi&liated societies 

 and clubs, and to persons throughout the 

 country who, it was thought, would be 

 interested in learning of the situation. As 



(i 



a result thousands of letters and telegrams 

 were despatched to the Senators and Con- 

 gressmen requesting their support. 



The Secretary of the Association spent 

 most of the time in Washington during the 

 last six weeks of Congress. At the expense 

 of the Association, John H. Wallace, of 

 Alabama, and Alva Clapp, of Kansas, went 

 to Washington to consult with their Repre- 

 sentatives and acquaint them with the 

 sentiment at home on the subject. As a 

 result of the educational work thus done, 

 an abundance of votes was secured in 

 both Houses to pass the bill if it could be 

 brought up for consideration. With some 

 amendments the bill was reported favor- 

 ably by the Foreign Relations Committee 

 in the House and the Agricultural Com- 

 mittee in the Senate, but further than 

 this no action was taken. 



As our readers are well aware there was 

 an unprecedented amount of delay and 

 confusion in reference to many adminis- 

 trative bills during the closing days of Con- 

 gress. An immense amount of good work 

 however, was accomplished, and at the 

 special session of our national lawmakers 

 called for April 16, 191 7, the bill will 

 again be introduced and its consideration 

 will be pressed. 



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