The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-07-12
Indians AfeLivfnHO
Up to Reputation
AS Fighting Men

| AS Fighting Men
Washington, July s12.--The deeds OF
Indians who have enlisted in large
numbers in the military services are
hardly more inspiring than those OF
the women and children LETT behind.
This is a partial account of the an
swer made by the people on the res
crvations when the "Great White
Father" in Washington called to the
tribes and races inhabiting this land
of freedom to rise in its defense
Reports received by Cato Sells, COM
missioner OF Indian affairs, from about
one-third fthe Indian reservations.
indicate a total Red Cross member
shin of close to 10000, contributions
in money amounting to more than
so 900 and further donations of thous-
ands of hospital garments and knitted
articles. That lis not q full measure
of the Red Mans generosity, how
ever, for the reservations do not house
many Indians, including the. more
wealthy, whose charitable activities
are listed with the general popula-
ton. ,ts4 s
Resorting to- methods of the white
man TO raise money, the Omaha tribe
recently heldian auction for the Red
Cross which neted $4,000, including
$500 for a prize goat.
The boys of school, III the north
west gathered 2,O00spoInds of Sphag-
mum moss for 2 surgical absorbent
pads. Some 1901 Christmas boxes were
reported, which is incomplete, as
nearly all of the 120 boarding schools
have service flags with stars ranging
in number. from few to 200, and the
pupils OF these schools are very mind
full of their soldier representatives.
One Of the larger schools reported a
Students Friendship War Fund, with
$3.50 on hand and II war savings So
cieties. This school in four weeks
bought LOON thrift stamps and Il Baby
bonds. + : 3.
On a small reservation, far north,
where the winters are long and SEE
we're and the Indian must struggle for
the necessities of life, more than one
dollar per capita for every adult was
paid in cash for the Red Cross and
other war relief purposes. In the
southwest. where the parched desert
gives scant returns and sheep raising
is the chief means of support, many
OF the Indians have each promised
fleece, of wool for the Red Cross and
the superintendent plans the expert
ment of, spinning this wool and knit
kirn ~ nj c0oLc cUnofoPc of0 NV
the Indian women.
| In a. Montana district where the
Indians are nearly all full-bloOds.
they voluntarily held meetings and
each one who has a growing wheat
crop promised to donate one sack of
wheat for war relief work. On an
other, reservation where the Indians
are very poor and have little ready
money, they donated an abundance of
handsom bead work and other curios
to be, sold for. the Red Cross.
: One of the smaller schools in Okla
homa reported a Junior Red; Cross
membership of 176 members, being
the total enrolment of the school.
The superintendent Of one Of the
boarding schools for girls of the Five
Civilized Tribes in Oklahoma declared
the girls are deeply, interested in all
war work and respond readily to re-
quests for additional garments The
very small girls knit up the scraps Of
yarn into refugee caps, afghan
squares, etc. Also, they utilize the
scraps from the hospital garments,
making quilt blocks. Larger scraps
are used. for small underskirts for
the refugees. Gun wipers have been
cut by the hundred. 3 .ss(s.
From northern Minnesota reser-
walton, where it is believed the first
Indian Red Cross auxiliary was start
ed, in the spring Of 1917, the presi-
dent of the auxiliary writes:
THE auxiliary numbers 48 and this
from community of less than 100
adults. Some of these women have
walked to the weekly meeting place
across the ice from Old Agency when
The temperature was 20 degrees below
zero. They have sewed on hospital
shirts and socks ,ands,learned to knit
the various garments just as their
white sisters of the cities have done.
Zone evening recently an Indian
and his wife. living II miles away.
came to the home of the treasurer and
inquired about the work being done,
the woman bringing her dollar for
membership, saying II want to do
something for my country"
Commissioner Sells believes that
the national spirit which President
Wilson and other statesmen foresee
as a result of the war will he snlen-