p. 10 | AN APPEAL TO WOMEN

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Sep 1, 1898

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 24, No. 35.

AN APPEAL TO WOMEN.

In the Union Signal of August 11 Margaret Organ, M.D., makes a strong appeal to women, under the heading, “The Slaughter of the Birds,” which ought to move the hearts of women. Below are some extracts:—

“In 1886 the report of the ornithologists was: ‘From carefully-gathered statistics it is proved that on the most moderate calculation five million song birds are annually required to fill the demands for the ornamentation of the hats of American women.’”

“Rare it is, indeed, to see a woman’s hat or bonnet without the corpse of a bird upon it, or a part of its corpse. If not these, then the egrets, which can only be procured by the killing of the bird. If this heartless, cruel devastation goes on, the whole bird creation must inevitably be exterminated. All the greater is the danger of this utter extinction, all the more barbarous, heartless, and fiendish the slaughter, because it is done in the mating season, or when the birds are rearing their young. Therefore, the killing of one bird by lead means the killing of three, four, or five younglings by starvation. Birds are killed at this season because their plumage is then the most beautiful.”

“The attempt to excuse woman’s wearing of birds or their plumage upon the plea of ignorance—as has so often been done—will not avail, for every woman knows that birds must be killed in order that her millinery may be thus decorated. This is so palpable a fact that to say women wear birds through ignorance, is a reflection upon their intelligence or sanity. That they are worn through thoughtlessness, we may readily admit—thoughtlessness in conjunction with the all-embracing, all-permeating desire to be in fashion, no matter how absurd, ridiculous, unbeautiful, or hideous that fashion may be.”

“I appeal most earnestly to all women to use their influence, both by precept and example, against this barbarous, cruel, and conscienceless slaughter of the birds. Never let an apropos opportunity pass without pleading earnestly, soulfully, for the dear, beautiful, innocent little creatures that have no power to plead for themselves. Do this, not only for their sake, but for the sake of the boys and girls, and for children of mature growth—physically. For just so sure as effect follows cause, just so sure will this debasing, dehumanizing practise of killing the birds—our fellow-creatures—tend to deaden the finer and more tender susceptibilities of mind and heart.”