New-York tribune., 1922-12-21
Young Boswell
InterOieWS
George GUSTAV Heye
BECAUSE ks foura.d u. Mmsun o

BECAUSE hs founded hs MmsHn Of
lhs American fadioH and tie Heye
Foundation,
he icas meecsgfHi srgiEssr and
banker,
he endowed ns musraF. turned over
he half million specimsns and BE-
oome us director.
hs probably kHops more about the
hneric1n Indian than any ore else
IN Nse York.
one Of tAe group Of buiidiaos af Ts5th
street oRd Br0adWav. merit the Geo
graphical Society AID the Spdnisk-Amsr-
icon Museum, Is fhc Museum Of ths
Amsriedn fsdinr. Inside are arranged,
according 10 their original geographical
setfiHgs, relics Of tie sou discarded
ciuihrofioH Of Indian races: blankets,
DioccaetHs. potterp, toiems. skulls and
iceapoHsj and in me corridor usrr
ofieial looking door. leading % Mr..
HEfE'S Office. The director and donor
of ihs museum, smooth-faeed, grey.
haired nan. smoked a cigar.
Young Boswell-How did you FIRST
become interested in lndiansi
Mr.. HEfE-I was graduated from Co
lumbia University as an electrical en-
ginecr. One Of the first Jobs had
was superintendent OF a spur railroad
that was being built In Arizona. ! had
some Navajo Indians among the work
men. One night | was wandering
around the camp and ! saw one Of these
Indians repairing a shirt--a buckskln
shirt. ! asked him what he was doing
and he showed me. 10 interested me, 90
! annexed that shirt. That was the
start Of the collection. Naturally when
] had shirt I wanted rattle and
moceasins. And then the collectors
bug seized me and | was lost. That's
how ! got interested in Indians
Young Boswell-lt seems such
tragedy that the Indian Is dying out.
mr.. HEYE-But the Indian isn't
dying out, as most people think. On
the contrary. they are increasing, par
ticularly IN the Southwest, among the
Nayajos and tho DHkotas. They are no
longer being killed of by wars. they
are being taught how 10 live and given
the rules Of hygiene. Their living con-
ditions arc better than they were hfty
years ago.
Young Boswell-Do you think they
are are better OF than they were be-
fore the white man camel
Mr.. HEYE-That is a matter OF your
point OF view. They were probably
very insanitary, according 10 our ideas,
and, OF course, their lives we're diff
fercnt, but / don't believe much In
the romantic Indian. Cooper and Long
fellow have given US an entirely wrong
idea. | have met a great many Indians
and ] have never seen one with an
Imagination. as Longfellow would lead
US 20 believe. / have yet 10 meet the
romantic Indian. Indians have a great
sense Of humor, although IL Is a strange
sense OF humor. For instance, they
love practical jokes. Among the Pueblo
Indians, In the Southwest, there Is
society, a very serious organization.
II you belong 10 the society you are
pledged not 20 get angry no matter
what practical joke Is played on you.
Young Boswell-Do you think the
Indian has been helped by being
modemizodl Take. for instance, the
ones who have got rieh In oil In Okla
homa.
Mr.. HEYE-In some ways they have
been helped. Modern clothing spoils
their native customs and clothes, but
still tho older generation are hanging
on 10 their ceremonial costumes and
dances. although the costumes are get
ting rare, as they arc buried with their
owners when they die. The young ones
are sent 10 school and modernized, Of
course. Speaking Of the Indians who
have got rich IN oil reminds me OF tho
cid days. In 1904 the Iroquois on the
New York reservation. near Buffalo,
we're given money by the government
ia division OF land claims. Zach
member OF n family got n certain
amount. One chief took his money 10
Buffalo and bought a hearse. With
great ceremony he drove back the
twonty-six mlles, with his wife and
daughter inside. ! asked him why he
bought that, instead OF something use
ful, like n plough or n wagon. He looked
al the hearse for long time, and then
answered me; Because Il Is looking
40 pretty" Now, that's the Indians
idea Of money. And yet that's why We
all buy things-beeause they look
pretty 20 us.