156 WILD LIFE PROTECTION FUND 



are of seven kinds ; and the energy, the persistence, and the 

 shamelessness with which they are bought and used on game, 

 in the United States, is positively amazing. When a ragged 

 and emaciated Florida cracker slowly walks past us with a 

 $35 automatic on his shoulder, we are not surpised, save by 

 the evidence that he had the price; but when members of 

 alumni associations and clubs, "even as you and I," stand 

 up and vigorously defend the machine guns, and also use 

 them in hunting, it phases us. The stock argument is : "If 

 you enforce the bag limit, the kind of gun used doesn't mat- 

 ter !" That is a mere subterfuge, employed in weakly dodg- 

 ing the real issue. 



Now, the fact is, it matters a great deal; because the 

 value of the automatic gun, — and the love for it, — is based 

 very solidly on the fact that it gets about 50 per cent more 

 game per gun than is getable with a gentlemanly double- 

 barreled shotgun! The Winchester and Remington Arms 

 companies make and sell the goods because of its superior 

 game-getting habits! But for that, no man would want 

 either the automatic or the "pump" to use on game. 



The use of automatic and "pump" shotguns, shooting 

 either 5 or 6 shots without removal from the shoulder, is 

 a shame, and a disgrace to 46 of our 48 states. Only two 

 states, Pennsylvania and New Jersey, have purged them- 

 selves of this disgrace by passing laws forbidding the use 

 of the slaughter guns in hunting; but I believe every prov- 

 ince of Canada has barred them by law. 



Strange to say, the anglers can teach the hunters a great 

 deal about the ethics of sport, — but in tackle only. In bag 

 limits some of the anglers are just as great game-hogs as 

 any that I know of, anywhere. With many, their ethics 

 seem to stop at the rod and line, and not at the weight of the 

 creel. There seems to be no way in the world to curb fish 

 slaughter, and to conserve a continuous supply of game 

 fishes. But for the fish hatcheries there would today be 

 mighty few game fishes in any of our freshwater streams 

 and lakes. 



