The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1918-07-15
Indians Giving
To War Charity
Fine Record Is Made BY Tribes on
Reservation Throughout the
Northwest

Indians who have enlisted in large
numbers in the military services are
hardly more inspiring than those OF
the women and children left behind
This is partial account of the an
swer made by the people on the res
ervations 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
commissioner of Indian affairs, from
about one-third of the Indian reser-
vations, indicate total Red Cross
membership of close to 10000, con-
tributions in money amounting to
more than $4,000 and further dona
tons of thousands of hospital gar
ments and knitted articles. That is
not full measure of the Red Mans
generosity, however, for the reserva'
lions do not house many Indians, in
Guiding the more wealthy, whose
charitable activities are listed with
the general population.
Resorting to methods of the white
man to raise money, the Omaha tribe
recently held an auction for the Red
Cross which netted $4,000, including
5000 for a prize goat.
The boys of school in the north
west gathered 1000 pounds of Sphag,
mum moss for surgical absorbent
pads. Some 400 Christmas boxes
were reported, which is incomplete
as nearly all of the 100 boarding
schools have service flags with stars
ranging in number from few to two
hundred, and the pupils of those
schools are very mindful Of their sol
der representatives. One of the
) larger schools reported Students
Friendship War fund, with $3.50 or
hand and twelve war saving societies
This school in four weeks bought
1000 Thrift Stamps and IA Baby
Bonds
On a small reservation far north
where the winters are long and Sc
we're and the Indian must struggle fo
: the necessaries Of life more than ONT
dollar per capita for every adult wa
y paid in cash for the Red Cross ant
other war relief purposes In tn
y Southwest where the parched deser
gives scant returns and sheep rails
~ ing is the chief means of support
many of the Indians have each prom
y Used a fleece of wool for the Re
Cross and the Superintendent plan
:" the experiment of spinning this woo
and knitting 1t into socks, sweaters
o ETC., by the Indian women.
Gave Sack of Wheat
~ In Montana district where the Il
dams are nearly all full-bloods the
voluntarily held meetings and eac
one who has growing wheat Gro
promised to donate one sack
wheat for war relief work. On a.
he other reservation where the lndiar
are very poor and have little read
money, they donated an abundant
ar Of handsome bead work and 9th,
vn curios to be sold for the Red eros
nd One of the smaller schools in Okl
he homa reported Junior Red Gro,
m. membership of 176 members, beir
wv the total enrolment of the school.
The superintendent of one of Il
se boarding schools for girls of the Fl,
ng Civilized Tribes in Oklahoma d
clared the girls are deeply interestt
an. in all war work and respond readi
M to requests for additional garment
The very small girls knit up Il
We scraps of yarn into refugee caps, at
he han squares, etc. Also they utili
an the scraps from the hospital ga
- ments making quilt blocks. Larg
scraps are used for small underskir
lct for the refugees. Gun wipers ha
ag been out by the hundred.
,te From northern Minnesota rest
walton, where it is believed the fir
I've Indian Red Cross auxiliary was sta
art ed in the spring of 1917, the pre-
he dent of the auxiliary writes:
a "The auxiliary numbers As and II
of from a community of less than a hu
or dred adults. Some of these WON
I'M. have walked to the weekly meeti
zee. place across the ice from Old Agen
md when the temperature was TWEEN
ept degrees below zero. They ha
i'm sewed on hospital shirts and soc
and learned to knit the various o
get ments just as their white sisters
ger the cities have done.
to One evening recently an Indi
it. and his wife, living seventeen mi
mi. away, came to the home of
ess treasurer and inquired about the VIC
ex. being done, the woman bringing !
dollar for membership, saying!
nen want to do something for nv co,