Jasper County Democrat, Volume 20, Number 16, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 May 1917 — THE RAT ARMY [ARTICLE]

THE RAT ARMY

Every day the citizens of Indiana pay $15,000 f r the maintenance of rats. This is more than the Indianapolis chapter of the American Red Cross has been able to add to its war fund in a campaign extending over weeks. The figures are based on the government estimate that the rat population of the country is equal to the human population and that the rat consumes food every day valued atXabout half a cent. The American rat bill is therefore about $500,"00 a day, or more than enough to keep all of the war orphans in France. Since the outbreak of the war this country has fed fifteen times as much to its rats as it has to the starving Belgians. Furthermore, with prices

soaring, the rats are going right on eating. Here in Indiana" they probably cost nearer $20,000 a day' than $15,000, which estimate is based oh investigations made in 1013. The rat is a disease carrier which should be exterminated for this reason alone. N 6 one ever had a good word for file rat, in fact, and po one ever regarded him as anything but a menace. Yet he is tolerated in most localities. In GibI: on county, however, ■ the farmer.'have rat drives, in which thousands - are killed, Carroll county has also ' recognized the true cost of the rat , and other cunties are considering plans of extermination. The movement should be state-wide. The state has a good rat law, passed in 1913, which is not en- • forced. This law provides that counties may appropriate funds for the extermniation of rats, but apparently the farmers have not brought their influence to bear upon county officials and upon health officers who are supposed to see that the law is enforced. The law also provides, that the governor may designate .every spring by proclamation a “rat day,’’ which is “to be observed throughout the state,’’ Thus the machinery fop a-n anti-rat campaign is provided, and the need for such a campaign is great. The actual work remains to be done by. various individuals and organizations. If they wish a rat day proclamation as a war measupp, no doubfthe governor Will be glad to accommodate them.—-Indianapolis News.