The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-12-22
AMERICAN INDIANS
LOYAL IN THE WAR
Commissioner Sells Tells of Aid Rem
dered In All UndcrtakingS-Pro-
gress in Education and Indi-
yidual Uplift-

Washington, Dec. 19.--Cato Sells,
commissioner of Indian affairs in the
United States, in his annual report 10
the secretary of the interior, deVotes
considerable space to the activities OF
the American Indian in behalf OF the
war work undertaken by the govern
ment and people of the United states.
Much of this work, the com missioner
says. was done directly under super
vision of the bureau of Indian AFFAIRS.
and was entered into patriotically and
enthusiastically by the wards OF the
government III has been the en-
deavor OF the bureau" the report
says, TO give the Indians clear
understanding OF their relation to the
war and their part in its prosecution,
whether a. home or abroad. They
have signally honored themselves and
their country by entering some
branch of the army or navy. by ofrer-
ing their money in war loans to the
government. by increasing the product
of the country's foodstuffs and
conpivine with the public food reg
ulations. by swelling the ranks or
wage earnerS in periods of labor
6eietfon, by generous and eager con-
trihutions of money and service TO
every phase of organized relief"
Reviewing the work of registration
among the lllAAGtlN dittANi RfiV SN4tN ~ y
service act. the commissioner points
out the fact that this Was entirely
successful, notwithstanding the cur
rency given TO some news items to the
contrary. The only serious problem
encountered was that met in deter
mining the exact status on citizenship
Of the Indians. At the date upon
which the report was compiled, Sep
TEN Der so, 1919, il was estimated that
! tsYi Iva -sgr rNr q -
tuaily in some branch of the army
or navy OF the United States. 1t is
reported that approximately 5000 OF
ty1tst, ~lf,fssr a. NJ, shf.llsefsa at. VI Any
! iiiftlians4s from tie northern STATES Mad
previously enlisted in the Canadian
military organizations. Referring to
instances OF individual vaior in the
war, Commissioned Sells has this to
say:
II reluctantly withhold detailed
account of the many instances or
tribal and personal patriotism and OF
Individual yalor and achievement by
our Indian soldiers in the service OF
both Canada and the United States
that came TO my attention during the
year, for no record here would seem
attinglv impartial that did no include
the hundreds of noteworthy and an
thenticated incidents on the reserva-
ton, In the camps, ana III FIdHCe t1ln :
have been almost daily recounted In
the pubic prints. The complete story
would be voluminous narration OF
scenes. episodes. eloquent appeal.
stirring action. and glorious sacrifice
that might better be written into a
deathless epic by some master poet
born out of the heroic travail or
world -embattled era"
Commissioner Sells estimates. from
what he regards reliable data, that
Indians upon the reservations have In
vested approximately $15.00o.000 IN
liberty loan bonds, an average OF $50
per capita. This contribution, accord
ing to the report, has been augmented
by liberal aid both in money and
service. to the several war relief agen-
cics conducted In the United States.
The commissioner says,
The reports coming from the diff
ferent Indian schools and field work.
ers show little more than a fragment
OF the relief work done by the Indians.
| for the reason that large numbers in
localities near towns and white COM
munitics affiliated with local chapters
in gifts OF both money and service. of
which only estimates are at hand. but
| 1t Is known that on many reservations
practically every adult subscribed a