SECOND BIENNIAL STATEMENT 157 



The grown men of today, as a mass, are hard to influence 

 in behalf of wild life. They do not know what it is to make 

 real sacrifices for real conservation unless compelled. In 

 places like Missouri only a hardwood club produces a re- 

 sult. Fortunately the minority which defends wild life, be- 

 ing eternally in the right, can through legislation secure 

 many and great results ; but they must work that field early 

 and late. 



Ethically the Congress of the United States has a perfect 

 record in wild-life conservation. Congress never has voted 

 against wild life ! No reasonable and good measure for the 

 better protection and increase of the nation's stock of wild 

 creatures ever has been placed before that body and voted 

 down ! In the ethical treatment of the millinery-producing 

 birds of the world, we are the most envied of nations. 



The one great place in which to teach ethics in the treat- 

 ment of wild life is in the nursery and the schoolroom. To 

 teach "nature study" alone is not enough. The aggressive 

 and militant defense and protection of the harrassed wild 

 creatures must also be taught, regularly and persistently. 



The National Educators Conservation Society, of New 

 York has been founded for the express purpose of showing 

 the plain path of duty to all teachers of America. Its task 

 is a gigantic one ; and it needs and must have no end of sup- 

 port, — financial, educational, and political. Its foundations 

 have indeed been "well and truly laid/' and we expect great 

 things of it. Through it all the teachers of America, — a 

 mighty host, — are called upon to do their duty by the na- 

 tion's wild life. 



If the school children and college students of today can be 

 taught their duty toward wild life, they may be relied upon 

 to perform that duty tomorrow. Manhood is stiff-necked, 

 hard-headed, and unyielding; youth is open minded, kind- 

 hearted, and chivalrous. We must firmly curb the average 

 man with statute laws ; but if we educate youth aright, the 

 wild life of the future will receive a square deal. On that 

 basis, it can continue to exist. 



