Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1920-02-11

their command with. one accord ren-
der universal and enthusiastic com
mendation OF the brilliance, the Sta-
ibility, the sanenability tos5discipline,
the heroisfl and yalor of the Indian
az 2 fghtinE force in our American
Major Tom Reilley, who command
ed the 3rdg battalion Of the 165th In
sfantry. was quoted as saying that the
indiana we're '"'thet best and safest re.
placements ne had Az any time"
They were expert In rifle lighting,
game, .strongi brave. resolute." Major
Reilley said. They were superior in.
5unexcelled In every phase Of every,
fight.
Il have no hesitancy In recon-
nlendinE any Of my Indians for
G%fr~rl serEeantcy, o. yer 3 captain
2cy. ~" 1shad requirements on eight
dir mt occasions. * thorough r.
the defamation Of my ranks. and
these Indianr}fwere unquaiiiedly the
very best replaes1aents sentsIae Many
they always sought the dangerous
places : ~s L advocate the segrega-
ton Of Indian troops, for I noted that
when they were cent out az q distinct
Indian force they did their best
work"
i, An MS instance Of how the. Choctaw
dialect OF men under the command
Of Lieutenant Colonel William j.
Morrissey. Of the 142nd infantry,
proved OF value In lodging the Ger
man 'listening-in" system vas relat-
preceding the aT1misticA when the
l42nd infantry was in front Of st.
Etienne. on the Champagne front, the
/, Germans detected American troop
] movements by tapping wires. TO
avoid this Colonel Morrtssey organic
ed a signal square Of Choctaws to
transmit the messages in their origin
sation." Oh. Dixon said. was q bar
rage that nonplussed the German"
Invent Names.
In working the "code," 1t was
found that there were no words in
the Choctaw tongue for many mill
tary technical expressions and It was
necessary to make UP q table Of sub
s%titutes. such as zone grain corn" Tor
first battalion" and ''arrows'' fol-
IS. Di1ons plan proposes the es-
Establishment ssof permanent or regi-
mental OF battalion headquarters or
system Of schools on or near reserva,
tons for the purpose Of preparing
INDIAN youths for a military career
and duties or. citizenship, and q high
er school, to be known as the Indian
West Point, for i~netructing Indians "
the duties Of non:commissioned Off
GERS. : The plan would allow lrdiar
Observation-Disclosures officers to entel
regular officers schools.
Full Citizens.
Other sections Of the msAsur
\ -. yL5 -fehAS1 .1E----4r>& -
eighth or more blood. who shall havl
reached the g OF IL years. or WIKI
shall have taken tho prescribed oatf
of a regular soldier Of the Unite<
States. to be full citizens Of the Unit
ed. States. Subject to a reading ant
writing test, after 1929 all IndiaI
graduates OF, the reservation would b.
declared full citizens on reaching 2.
years of age.
fTestifying before the house com
mittee, DR.. Dixon charged that tn
not believe in Indian citixenship, an,
that.rhe had prohibited the deliver.
to Indians In some sections of c0pie
Of testimony before the house mill
tary committee in 1917, when Dr.
Dixon argued for the recruiting o
, ten or more regiments OF Indian, G
II airy for&use An the war. Under = rul
;Ising;sbysthe attorney general, the com
nissioner Of Indian affairs was he'll
to have tho same power Of regulation
over the mail Of Indians rs the wal
den OF a ~penitentiary in preventing
the delivery Of mail to convicts.
Il ask You to note" DR.. Dixon said
that the Indian, in the majority o
cases a ward of the government, wa
!. treated as q convict, but still was con
sidered worthy Of being drafted"
The secretary OF war opposed tn
organization Of the Indian regiment
in 1917 on the ground that he did no
favor segregation of troops ACCORDING