Evening star., 1928-05-24
BACKGROUND OF EVENTS
BY PAUL y. COLLINS.

There are about two-thirds as man.
Indians In the Continental United
States as there are people In the City OF
WASHINGTON. This week, a report on
their condition and the problems con-
nected with their care--a report OF
some 500 printed pages--will be made
public as product of an advisory colin-
Gil on Indian affairs. created some years
ago by the Secretary OF the Interior. Dr.
Hubert Work.
This council is made up of 100 dis
tinguished welfare workers, philan-
thropists and men of affairs. or promi-
nent In politics, business and education.
They have given much time and In
yestigation 10 the problems. serving
without pay and at their own expense.
Since the copious volume has not yet
been given out, the public can have no
information as 10 its solution, but the
character of the advisory council Is such
that 1t is certain TO throw light on the
policies Of the Indian Bureau and on
the causes requiring national guardian
ship of the Indians, after the century
and a half OF white mans government
Certain articles-called propaganda"
have been supplied by the Department
OF the Interior for general newspaper
publication this week These are SAID
to be based upon the work OF the ad-
visory council. and, being BRIEF, prop
ably they will be more popularity read
than ever will be the 800-page book
itself. The aim Of the propaganda Is to
stimulate public interest in the Indians
some OF whom have Government"
guarded income amounting to $1,000
month for every man. woman and child
In the tribe, but have not intelligence
and character development SUFFICIENT 10
be intrusted TO self-prOtection, not
merely against the perfidy Of white and
red leeches. but against their own child
tsh extravagance II left TO their own
discretion. few of such infants" would
fail 10 squander every cent OF their
patrimony within three months. So
testify officials OF the Bureau OF Indian
Affairs.
Why are Indians so helpless? Some
times the answer is that generations
OF communistic tribal living have so
warped their natures that they have
no sense OF values and no instinct
OF providing for the future, II they are
rstioned. they feast gluttonously upon
the food, then Starve until next ration
day The conclusion OF their white
guardians is that generations OF wild
iife dependent upon the hunt OF wild
game. with It's uncertainties and It's
fullness when fortune favors have In
bred into their natures the dependence
uDon adventurous sources Of supplies.
and that II will take generations To
breed into Indians the instinct Of prov
tdence through seif-restraint
In answer 10 this doctrine, the negro
In cited In contrast II the tribal com
munistic habits OF the forest troaming
Indian has had such effect upon his
mental development, how is 1t that
slavery OF the negro did not equally
dwarf his self-dependenceP .mmedi~
ateiy following the emancipation OF the
slaves they were ignorant and of child
ish incapacity, as truly as are the
Indians today. The negro had been
kept In dependence for many genera
tions~~far more so than the roaming,
hunting Indians ever we're The negro
was obliged to do as ordered by his
master, the Indian was free To hunt
or fight or roam the continent, re-
strained only by enemy Indian tribes,
or by the white mans Indian reserva-
ton" II the environment and habits
OF either black of red man tended Ia
atrophy their intelligence and sell
pacity, why In that waste so much more
obvious In the Indian than IN the me-
gro? The negro mental development
since freedom. has been most eneotf"
aging; today negroes excel la proieh"
sionai life, and accumulate not merely
Inherit wealth Not the entire race.
but enough 10 make sharp contrast with
the dependent Indians Yet tradition hns
habitiIated the Indians to greater
alertness and dignity through The In"
fiuencea Of their condition Than has
been generally accredited 10 the slaves
and their immediate descendants.
Therein lies mystery, for the study
Of lhe Advisory Council of The Depart
ment of the Interior. Perhaps Their
forthcoming report viii throw light
upon II,
=
That individual indians have demon
strated great capacity cann0t he aues"
tianed hut the outstanding examples
have usually proved 10 he only part
indian, For example, Senator Charles
Curtis. a0w promlnsnt candidate Tor