The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-12-26
SIOUX join RED
CROSS IN GREAT
NUMBERS; RECORD
BEST IN STATE
Seventy-five Per Cent Mem
bership Is Reported
May Be Higher
ROLL In NATION
ABOUT 17,0oO,0 900
Expect Grand Total Will be
2O,0OO,00O, Wilbur
Is Advised


Seventy-five per cent of the In
dians on the Standing Rock reserva-
tion-men, women and children.
have answered Present" to the
Christmas Roll Call OF the American
Red Cross.
Those are the figures, based on re-
turns not yet wholly complete. that
reached State. Executive Secretary
Harry Curran Wilbur on Christmas
morning from States Attorney Ed
ward S. Johnson of Solen, Red Cross
Christmas Roll Call manager for
Sioux county.
They cover only returns made from
the canvass among the Indians and
according to present indications, viii
runs far behind that figure.
The story of their reporting is in
itself tale with the tang Of the from
tier somehow about it. Sub-totals
came in readily enough from the viii
lagos. Sections far from even these
little centers Feiayed reports into
SoIen by telephone, working in
roundabout ways when wires were
reported down az the usual connect
ing points. And then, regardless OF
the freezing cold, the knife edged
winds that swept the great open
spaces, or the snow. that covered
field and roadway, the Sioux mes
sengers, riding ponies, or, as happen
ed in at least one instance, coming
undauntedly afoot, brought to Soien
the word of the Roll Call in the
little, lonely. outlying places. And
1T is these figures added together,
that show the rs per cent Of the In
dian population enrolled.
The Answer of the Sioux.
1t is the answer of the Sioux to
the pitifuI wordless plea of the
stricken millions across the seas. II
cry of his white brothers in the far
off lands And more than all, ii Is
the great hearted American response
of these descendants of the very
first Americans to this latest call of
their America.
This record made by the Sioux
said Mr.. Wilbur this morning, "ex-
ceeds that Of every North Dakota
county reported in thus far except
Nelson, and it approximately equals
that It is more than double the av-
erage for the state as whole. Be-
cause felt that the inspiration of
it should be sent TO Red Cross work.
ers everywhere. / am sending a.
special report on it to division head
quarters for transmission to Wash
ington, and thence in due time for
transmission overseas. / have also
asked Mr.. Johnson to furnish a rath-t
er detailed report later on this roll
call among the Sioux"
The story of the Red Cross among
the Sioux on the Standing Rock re-
servation is one of unusual interest
in many ways and Of peculiar signi-
ficance. 1t began, SO the records in
the state Red Cross headquarters
show, nearly 1S months ago when
State Director N. C.. Young sent
Frank Fiske, reservation photograph
er at Fort Yates, to the late Chief
John Grass with instructions to ex-
plain to him the work OF the Red
Cross, convey the greetings OF the
state officers, and ask his approval
and support.
"Ho Hecetu" Says Chief.
Mr., Fiske's report, on file in the
headquArters Here, tells of his visit
to the old chief toward sunset on
one OF the long days OF the Dakota
summer In accord with the inn
custom, Chief Grass re-
ceived his visitor in silence and then,
after a long wait, signalled him to
SLdlG Iib HllSSAOhs \ hS WGN was AACg
to America then, and little of 1t had
reached the men and women out
there on the reservation. Patient
ly Fiske, who later enlisted as a
soldier for America, told the story of
the war, of the Red Cross, Of the
dire need, and of the great task
ahead of America III
AS he finished, the face OF the old
man, who had listened gravely and in
unbroken silence, lighted. He stood
erect and uttered the great Sioux
word Of approval:
"Ho hecetu."
He agreed TO serve as vice chair !
man of the Sioux county chapter,
and his name appears on the records
as one Of the 38 charter members GER
tilted to headquarters.
War Fund Record.
Steadily, as the old chief explained !
the work and the war to his people. |
the Red Cross membership increased |
The Junior Red Cross was organized |
and photographs began to come out |
Of the reservation showing the In /
dian children at their Red Cross
work while the products of their fin-
gers began to go overseas to the menI
lighting there for America.
The story of the war was no longerl
a strange one on the reservation. /
The Red Cross told part of 1T. The /
young men of the Sioux began TO
leave for the training camps and the
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