Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-10-05

The Sioux Indians who occupy the
Pine Ridge Reservation, located on the
southern border of South Dakota, have
mastered the secret of Information.
Without food, they spend from two TO
three months in a state of at least
partial Information quite similar to that
OF the bear. This fact has recently
been demonstrated by investigations of
the office of the Secretary of the In
terror
While the Sioux have been successful
is weathering the winters in the past,
there Is grave concern felt this year.
The drought has diminished the normal
ly short supply of food available and,
unless special relief is provided, the
period of Information will begin earlier
this Winter.
In late April or early May the In
dams emerge from their huts, gaunt
and hollow-eyed, many diseased, TO
start again the round of the year and
accumulate food to restore their bodies.
Some 5000 Sioux live on the Pine
Ridge Reservation. It is near the
Black Hills, where President Coolidge
spent a famous holiday. The land is
practically sterile. A few beans and
potatoes are raised, and some corn.
These crops are stored along with dried
horse meat from slaughtered plains
ponies. No cattle survive on the
reservation
The Winter begins at the Pine Ridge
Reservation in October. Winds Of ire
mendous velocity sweep over the hag-
gard land. whistling round the log
cabins In which the Sioux take up their
Winter residence. Then the SHOWS come
and the thermometer drops below zero
often 40 degrees below.
Once a year the Sioux are able 70
make a little money. Over the border
OF the reservation and the State, the
Nebraska farmers raise potatoes. The
late crop maturing in the Autumn fur
nisheS employment 10 tho SiouZ-mcn.
women and children Each day they
go into the fields. following the potato
digging machines They pick up the
roots and put them In sacks or baskets
Each evening, the farmers come into
the fields and pay the workers in silver
money.
with these meager funds, the Indians
lay in supplies Of -four, sugar and
coffee. Thee stores. with their corn,
beans and potatoes, constitute the
lardeT.
Shelters Are Crude.
The cabins are r1dely built Of cot
tonwood logs. the cf1inks stopped with
mud. In each cabin is an iron stove,
anu IOE INel CObDCLBCDo bCFuD anC
logs are picked up along the streamsides
during the short Summer. They are
stored in the cabin and a slow fire
kept burning. The cabins usually have
two rooms. but some only one. Each
cabin shelters from six 10 a dozen In
dams. Usually such household con-
sists Of two aged Indians. grandparents
Then there viii be an Indian and his
squaw and q varying number Of little
ones.
AS the cold settles down over the tree
less reservation and the winds begin to
howl, snatching at the crazy stove
pipe chimney. the door and the win
dows are packed with old rags. No one
leaves the house for weeks at a time
Indian agents have noticed that for
weeks after a snowfall not a track
has been made to or from the door OF
an Indian hut.
The food normally lasts until about
the middle of February. Then the true
Information begins. Indian agents have
made investigations to determine pre-
cisely what conditions obtained within
the cabins. 1t is difficult to arouse the