Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-11
INDIANS BAD CONDITION
STIRS SENATOR'S TO ACT
Committee Finds Health and Education
Neglected, and Demands Square
Deal for Red Men.

get at the justice of their cause, they
eonf1ded how cases had been framed
against them. Mr.. Wheeler looked
into the, matter and proved that the
charges against the accused Indians
were unfounded. He refused to bring
indictments and dismissed the cases.
From that time the Flatheads have all
ways regarded him as their friend.
With the help of Senator Wheeler
and other defenders of Indian rights,
the Flathead tribe is now fighting In
Washington to protect its power sites
against the encroachment of big power
companies. AS exclusive owners Of the
power sites on the reservation, they de-
mand their right to rent their property
able terms. The Rocky Mountain
Power Co., whose bid has been favored
by the Federal Power Commission,
would offer an annual income of
$4,000 The other applicant, Walter
H. Wheeler of Minneapolis, offers 1914
cents more per annum horsepower and
guarantees to develop the project to
yield an annual income of $240, $50,
A Western Muscle Shoals.
The Flathead power project has been
called the Muscle Shoals of the West.
Flathead bids and other disclosures
led Senator Wheeler to say In the Sen
ate few weeks ago: "The scandal Of
the last administration was oil I'm
less some of these things are stopped
tina; are going on down In the Federal
Power Commission the scandal Of this
administration will be power
Senator Wheeler does not consider
the Indian Bureau entirely responsible
for the present condition Of Indian af-
fairs.
Congress, as we'll as the Indian Blu
reau, is open to severe criticism for the
manner in which it has dealt with the
Indians. In the Western States with
Indian reservations, lumber, oil, water
power, cattle and sheep grazing groups
have sought favors from the Govern.
ment. They prevailed upon their Sem
special interests with the Indian Bu-
reau. One has only to read the hear
ings of Investigations among the Chip
pewas of Minnesota to learn how big
lumber interests have robbed the In
dams"
Wherein the Blame Lies.
From his examination of Indian,
Government and local witnesses, SEN
ator Wheeler has had an unusual OPP
portunity to obtain a broad perspective
of the whole Indian situation. He
pointed out many conditions for which
he considers the Indian department
under former commissioners entirely
responsible.
I'm the administration of the affairs
of the Indians scattered over remote
sections of the West, one unfortunately
expects to find certain amount Of
petty graft and abuse on the part of
minor officials. But. making allowances
for that, two outstanding facts have
been impressed on members Of our
committee.
First, the Indians generally In Che
United States are poorer. and second.
! they are little more educated than they
were SO years ago.
Our whole educational system for
the indians has been hopelessly lax
| and old-faShioned At the best, the
Indians are given sixth-grade educa-
| ton equivalent to fourth-grade stand
ards in the white public schools. A
| few are sent to higher scholastic
show places of Indian instruction.
| "For the most part they are turned
loose on their reservations after they
have finished the Indian grades and
| put on land where II Is almost irnpos-
| sible for white man to earn living.
| There they have remained without fur
| ther advantages. All that so years of
| Government education has done has
| been to enable a few more Indians to
/ read and write. This situation must be
| laid exclusively at the door of the In
/ dian Bureau.
Health Conditions Disgraceful.
ION most of the reservations we
| found disgraceful health conditions.
won't elaborate, for detailed accounts
can be found in the Merriam report, the
Red Cross report and our own hear
| ings. But was Mortified as listened
to the tragic story of disease and SUI
fering among the Indians. Tubercu-
losis, caused by naturalization and i'm
proper housing, has become serious
menace, and practically none Of the
reservations has facilities for checking
Its advance. Venereal disease Is preva-
lent on reservations near the white set
Elements. Trachof11a, which the Indian
Department has made a special effort
to handle, still shows a high percentage.
From the testimony, the life and death
of Indians Is guessing game. No re-
liable system of statistics has been
adopted.
"A legal commission should make d
study of the vast, confusing and in
tricate body of Indian laws, many Of
them Anticipated, and set up q simple
code Of laws which would eliminate
duplication and be pertinent to the In
dian reservations today.
"One must remember that every new
administration has promised to i'm
prove the condition of the Indians and
give them justice, but, In the end,
bureaucrats and politicians have domi-
mated the Indian affairs of the coun-
try and nothing beneficial to the In
dians has been accomplished. This adj
ministration,, under favorable circum.
stances, and with the support Of newly
aroused public interest in the welfare
of the Indians, has an opportunity to
sweep out the unpleasant mess left by
machine minded, bureaucratic prede.
ceksofs !"