The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1920-02-11
RTH AMERICAN
DIVISIONS
bsal Organize One Or Two More
hll Divisions OF Indian Troops
As Part Reorganized Army.
Associated Press


IS as part of the army reorganiza-
legislation.
amy instances of exploits or per-
~ heroism on the western front,
Eh as won for the Red Men in
<&nce the nickname of squirrel hun
] because of the deadly accuracy
heir rifles in sniping contests with
1mans, were furnished the commit
Sas evidence of valuable man DOW
which it is contended would be
led. if the Indians are denied
1Re in the army scheme.
xpertness at scouting and patroll-
W particularly at night and in un-
6wn territory; disregard for per-
al danger under fire, and unfalter-
loyalty, were among the soldierly
lities the Indian was described as
Besslng to an unusual degree.
kcific cases are cited by DR.. Joseph
0ssuth Dixon, secretary of the Nat
l1nal American Indian Memorial AS
50clation, of which Rodman Wanama-
kaf of New York is founder and pres
1aent. DR.. Dixon also read letter
fAm General Pershing giving his
hearty approval to a plan to enlist
Il Indian regiments.
a majority Of the more than 1900
4 indians who saw military service dur
y NIL the war were members of the Goth
Digision, the Texas and Oklahoma
National Army Division, the Seth Di-
vision, National Guardsmen from the
# same two states, and the 165th In
i fantry, or old Goth New York, which
#Feceived heavy Indian requirements
p fill the gaps produced in its ranks
|6E fighting on the Marne. But the
kskins served in many other units
d in practically all services.
DIR. Dixon declared that after Wis
ing numerous camps and hospitals,
"officers interviewed, from the
cpmmanding officer to the corporal or
petty officer, who have had Indians un-
der their command with one accord
4 render universal and enthusiastic com
aKaendation Of the brilliance, the sta
hiity, the amenability to discipline,
Il the heroism and valor of the Indian
as fighting force in our American
army and navy"
MI Major Tom Reilley, who command
Ned the 3rd Battalion of the 165th In
Bfantry, was quoted as saying that the
indians were 'the best and safest re-
placements he had at any time"
Fl "They were expert in rifle fighting,
bame, strong, brave, resolute," Major
Reilley said. "They were superior in
Fcouting and patrolwork. They were
pnexcelled in every phase of every
tight.
Nj Il have no hesitancy in recommend
sng any one of my Indians for first
or even capitaincy. |
had requirements on eight different
Occasions so thoroughly was the deci
mation of my ranks, and these Indians
were unqualifiedly the very best re-
placements sent me. Many of them
were killed or wounded, for they al |
ways sought the dangerous places.
III advocate the segregation of Indian
troops, for l noted that when they
were sent out as distinct Indian
force they did their best work"
An instance of how the Choctaw
dialect of men under the command of
Lieutenant Colonel William ]. Morris
sey, of the 142nd infantry, proved of
value in dodging the German "listen-
ing-in" system was related by DR..
Dixon In October 1918 preceding the
armistice, when the 142nd infantry
was in front Of St. Etienne, on the
Champagne front, the Germans detec- |
ted American troop movements by
tapping wires To avoid this colonel
Morrissey organized signal square
of Choctaws to transmit the messages !
in their dialect. "Fhis barbed wire
conversation, DR.. Dixon said, "was a
barrage that nonplussed the Ger
mans"
In working the "code" it was found
that there were no words in the Choc- |
taw tongue for many military tech
nical expressions, and it was neces-
sary to make up table of substitu-
tes, such as zone grain corn" for first
battalion" and arrows" for ammuni- |
tion."
Mr.. Dixon's plan proposes the es-
tablishment of permanent regimental
or battalion headquarters on or near
important reservations, a system OF
schools on or near reservations for
the purpose of preparing Indian
youths for military career and du- |
ties or citizenship, and a higher
school, to be known as the Indian
West Point, for instructing Indian in
the duties Of n-commissioned Off
GERS. The plan would allow Indian
non-commissioned officers to enter
regular officers schools.
Other sections Of the measure would