As soon as I discovered this on the website of the U.S. Army Heritage Center, it moved to the head of the line for the Roads to the Great War audience. I am so proud to know that even back then my home state was in the vanguard of the mighty forces protecting the Republic. Please don't miss the fearsome enemy squirrels in their Pickelhaubes at the bottom of the cartoon.
Hopefully we know more about ecosystems now then in 1917. Squirrels are valuable members of a vibrant ecosystem - they are vital to the spread of oaks, pines, hickories and other tree species and deserve special credit for building second growth oak forests. They help turn over and renew soil. More importantly, setting out poison of any kind does not kill only squirrels. It can be eaten by pets and it spreads relentlessly up the food chain to foxes, bobcats, coyotes, and raptors including owls, hawks, and eagles.
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