Animals: Bird Senator

In Jefferson City, Mo., Harry Bartow Hawes, U. S. Senator from Missouri, told the Democratic state convention this week that he was going to retire from politics to become president of the More Game Birds for America Commission, a new foundation sponsored by Joseph Palmer Knapp, chairman of the finance committee of Crowell Publishing Co. and Thomas William Lamont, banker. Joseph Knapp, although he was once arrested for shooting too many ducks on his island in North Carolina, has long regretted the fact that U. S. birds are disappearing. Last spring, Mr. Knapp read a book on black bass written by Senator Hawes, decided that Senator Hawes was the man to head an efficient commission. He offered him the presidency for ten years at a salary of $50,000 per year. The new president, who also wrote a book on the dog, will begin work at once but will draw no salary until 1933 when his Senate term expires.

The commission endowment amounts to five million dollars, will shortly be increased to ten. With headquarters at Washington, it will be national in scope, will work in co-operation with both state and federal governments. In addition to conserving animals by founding sanctuaries, providing food in bad seasons, it will attempt systematic replacement in areas where birds have become scarce. Influence will be exerted on law.

Senator Hawes, 60, has a cottage near Doniphan, Mo., where he spends out-of-door vacations, entertains friends with hunting trips. Sent to Congress in 1921, he was. last session, author of a resolution creating a Senate committee to study ani mal problems.

Fortnight ago, the International Association of Game, Fish and Conservation commissioners met in Toronto, recommended that the duck shooting season be shortened this year. Because of the drought only 50% of usual number of ducklings were hatched.