South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-02-19
Statesmen Real
and Near.
BY Fred c. Kelly

WASHINGTON. Feb. 19.-In the
outer ONCE OF Gen. Hugh l.. Scott,
chief of STAFF Of the United States
army, one may usually find an as
sortment or dignitaries waiting. to
confer with the army head. There
are United States senators, army Of
ficers, chairmen of important house
committees. and probably a brace of
solemn, pre0ccupIed Indian chiefs.
IL is certain that If there are any
visiting Indian chiefs in Washington
they will speedily make their way TO
the Office of Hugh l.. Scott. And
when they reach ScOtts outer office
they will be ushered into see him
with the least possible delay. And
having got into where Scott is they
Will remain there for a long long
time An Indian chief is extremely
iOath TO terminate a conversation
with Scott. and Scott has not the
heart TO exhibit the slightest indica-
ton OF haste or business pressure
toward an Indian. He dOtes on In
dams. Senators and other verte-
brates in the outer office simply have
TO wait until the Indians Lave had
their say.
Hugh l.. Scott knows more about
Indians than any man in the United
States army. He has won scores of
battles in the Indian country simpi.
by going TO the tribal chiefs and
holding conferences in the sign Ian
guage. No Indian except the old
chiefs can talk the sign language 50
well as Scott. The younger bucks.
growing up on reservations, talk in
spoken words. They are hayward
Indians, the old chiefs think, and do
not bother to learn the more COM
pact language of sign and gesture
The old chiefs find so few persons
with whom they can hold a nice
silent conversation that they will
gladly make a long journey to have a
sign talk with Hugh Scott. And Scott
enjoys these unspoken chats just as
much as the Indians do. He declares
that the sign language is the handiest
system of talk known TO man. One
can say a whole sentence in a wave
of the hand-juSt as a Chinaman,
conversely will speak a paragraph of
words in order TO say yes or no.
To sit and watch a pair of Indian
chiefs during a long conversation
with Hugh Scott is real adventure.
Not once does the expression of their
faces change as they sit holding in
terlocutory "reminiscences with their
hands. When it comes to maintain
ing an immobile countenance it is nip
and tuck between an Indian chief
and an old fashioned, ornamental
iron dog.
The other day Scott received a
call from two chiefs. 1t CHANGED not
to be a busy day, and he permitted
them to stay as long they wished,
sandwiching talk with them In be-
tween brief periods of transacting
business. They remained right in
their chairs, scarcely moving mus
Gle aside from those needed in max
ing signs, for six hours and half
When an Indian chief comes to
Washington he calls on Gen. Scott.
His calls are usually two in number
the first Immediately after mis- ar
rival and the other after he has
bought his railroad ticket to return
to his reservation. He goes to Scott
then to show him the ticket and get
SCOTS word that the ticket is all
right. In matters of such paramount
Importance Scott is the one man in
Washington whose word an Indian
chief will accept.
Rep. Kirkpatrick of Iowa, who has
had an adventurous career, lncluolns
81 years chasing mOOnshiners Tor the
government, was introduced while
ago to Rep. Caleb Powers OF ken
lucky, who. il will be remembered
suffered a long period Of prosecution
for alleged completely in the murder
of Gov. Goebel.
I'm very glad TO meet you, said
Kirkpatrick. and added off-handedly,
by way Of small talk, you know l
y,o1r6ar myself -