How avoid "argument isn't numeric" warning when evaluating $VERSION?

[James E Keenan]

Suppose that in package Someones::Module I have:

#####
$Someones::Module::VERSION = '1.4417_001';
#####
And then in a different module I have:

#####
die "Need more recent version of Someones::Module" unless 
$Someones::Module::VERSION >= "1.40";
#####

This will generate a warning like this:

#####
Argument "1.4417_001" isn't numeric in numeric ge (>=) at ...
#####

I would like to submit a patch for the relevant module.  What is the 
recommended way of numifying $Someones::Module::VERSION in the '>=' 
comparison?

Or is there a better approach?

Thank you very much.
Jim Keenan