8 WILD LIFE PROTECTION FUND 



or artificial selection, to lead in promoting the welfare of 

 America's heritage of wild life can not sit back in quiet 

 comfort and say: "After me, the deluge !" 



We can not, as good citizens, assume any attitudes of 

 indifference toward the forests, fisheries, game and min- 

 erals of any portion of the public domain. It is a principle 

 of criminal law that he who knowingly permits another 

 person to commit a crime, without protest or effort at pre- 

 vention, thereby becomes particeps criminis. 



In wild countries it is the aggressive and domineering 

 minority that first dictates the fate of the wild game. The 

 white population of Alaska now numbers about 16,000, and 

 it would be a perfectly easy matter for 100 determined men 

 of that small company to dictate the game disposal policy 

 of the entire province — provided all Alaskan game now 

 were turned over to the sole control of people at present 

 sojourning in that Territory. 



Notwitstanding some Alaskan feeling to the contrary, 

 there are vast and valuable interests in Alaska that the 

 present people of that Territory do not in any wise own 

 in fee simple, or in any manner hold subject to their dis- 

 posal. The coming generations of Americans have in the 

 vast Territory of Alaska many rights that we, as the guard- 

 ians of their interests, can neither ignore, nor destroy, nor 

 permit to be destroyed. Let it be understood now, once 

 and for all time, that the wild life protectors of the United 

 States are not going to lie down and passively permit the 

 best interests of Alaskan wild life to go into the discard. 



As one who believes sincerely both in the legitimate and 

 sensible utilization of game and the protection of the rights 

 of future Americans, the writer does not propose to be 

 "read out of the party," as certain Alaskans already have 

 attempted to do. 



