Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 56, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 March 1918 — PIGEONS TO BE BIG FACTORS IN THE WAR [ARTICLE]

PIGEONS TO BE BIG FACTORS IN THE WAR

Fanciers Finally Recognized as Devotees of Sport • r 9 Uncle Sam to Be Furnished With 200< 000 Messengers—Birds Are Considered Particularly Reliable for Military Work. , Scoffed at and--scorned by sportsmen for a score or more of years—ever since the raising of prize pigeons entitled a man to the title of sportsman —Ohio fanciers of homing pigeons at last have been awarded notice among the ranks of devotees of more popularly accepted sporting pastimes. It remained with the pigeon raisers to furnish the United States one of the most important instruments of warfare necessary to the successful operations in the trenches. Sometime next summer when the big push starts “over there” Ohio carrier pigeons will bring back to headquarters through barrage fire and machine gun bullets—if they are lucky—messages from observers in airplanes and from men stationed in listening posts far out in front of the front line trenches. Already more than 7,000 birds of the highest class have bfeen ordered by the war department for delivery at an Atlantic port on a certain date, the exact tiine of which is kept secret for military reasons. By next fall, according to Dr. J. C. Simon, secretary of the American Racing Pigeon association, 200,000 firstclass ■ carriers will be available for service overseas. The pigeons being taken are considered by Doctor Simon to be particularly reliable in the matter of returning speedily to the spot which marks their present home.

No recruit going into the National army goes under closer scrutiny than do the pigeons accepted, according to officials of the association. Government inspectors scan the registry cards of each entry, after examining the bird to see wether he or she is healthy, and accept only those whose parents and grandparents made exceptional records in speed contests.