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^[[Copy for Mr. Aetmon]]

August 27, 1919.

Mr. W. H. Ransom,
U. S. Game Warden,
708 W. 20th Ave.
Spokane, Wash.

Dear Mr. Ransom:

For your information we inclose copy of an order of the Secretary dated July 30, 1919, authorizing rice growers, members of their immediate families and bona fide employees to kill ducks when necessary to protect the rice crops from damage and also form of the permit valid only when countersigned and issued by one of the officials designated in the order to countersign and issue the permits. Messrs. J. H. Stephens and Chas. H. Merry, President and Secretary, respectfully, of the Pacific Rice Growers' Association, Sacramento, and Mr. George Neale, U. S. Deputy Game Warden, 2100 L St. Sacramento, and Mr. Stonewall J. Carpenter, U. S. Deputy Game Warden, Maxwell, Calif., have all been authorized to countersign and issue these permits.

For your further information we inclose copy of reports made by Mr. Alexander Wetmore of this Bureau, who investigated conditions in the rice belt of California last fall. We also inclose copy of the Bureau's letter dated August 7 to Mr. J. H. Stephens, concerning the issuance of the permits this year, and copies of letters just received from Mr. Neale and Mr. Newbert of the California Fish and Game Commission. All of these inclosures are self-explanatory and should give you a fairly good idea of the situation as it has existed and now exists in the rice belt with respect to the alleged depredations of wild ducks and the necessity of issuing permits allowing them to be killed. In this connection, we may say, however, confidentially, that the members of the state game commission have always been opposed to the issuance of these permits, but somewhat reluctantly gave their consent to the issuance of the Federal permits, operations under which are being carried on, notwithstanding the state law grants no such privileges, it being understood that the operations be carried on under the Federal permits with the sanction of the state game department which will not interfere.

There seems to be considerable uncertainty and misunderstanding concerning the authority conferred by the order of the Secretary and the permits. You will have in mind that under Section 2 of the Treaty Act, no person can kill, possess, etc., any migratory birds except as specifically permitted by the Secretary of Agriculture, and that the only authority to kill, possess, transport, or in fact do anything else with any migratory birds under this permit is contained in the permit itself, and that unless