The Daily Alaska empire. [volume] (Juneau, Alaska) 1926-1964, 1937-02-05
MIR. DIMOND AND THE INDIAN

In connection with the hearings now being hel
~ the Senate committee in Washington relative
he Alaska Indians and their problems, recent al
icle written by Delegate Anthony J. Dmond, dealir
With the Indian question, is particularly interestn
md reveals that there is much more to the India
question than whether or not the native nhabitan
should have liquor Mr.. Dmond wrote, in part
At the present time the needs of the natives
of Alaska may be embraced within three gen.
eral categories: Cd enlargement and extern
sion of educational facilities both academic
and vocational 90 enlargement and ex-
tension of public health aids particularly with
respect to hospitals, both general and for
treatment of tubercular cases; and CD aid IN
raising the economic status of the natives.
For some time past / have been more and
more brought to the conclusion that the ma
tives of Alaska need aid to enable them to raise
their economic status more than anything
else for assistance given in other directions
is a mere palliative or substitute. For example,
we all realize that tuberculosis is shockingly
prevalent among the natives of Alaska and
that heroic measures must be taken to elm
mate it, yet it is my considered judgment that
if the economic condition of the natives was
raised sufficiently to enable them to provide
themselves with suitable houses clothing and
food and to live under sanitary conditions,
tuberculosis would all but disappear. 1t is this
thought which leads me to believe that the
Indian Reorganization Act if made use OF by
the natives OF Alaska and if sustained by ade-
quate appropriations from Congress, may in
the long run mean more for them than any
other one thing which may be done.
But we must not shut eyes to the fact
that for the present and particularly in the
immediate future theress pressing need of
enlarged appropriations for education work
among the natives of Alaska. Many people
aii,sist that vocational education is the i'm
portant thing and of course it is important;
i,us -ailnosl equally important is it. to provide
higher academic education for the natives of
the Territory IN order particularly to develop
leadership and to encourage those who are
ambitious to make the most of their talents SO
that they, in turn, may help the people of
their race. 5ssa
The health aspects of the problem cry aloud
for attention. The Office of Indian Affairs
has worked out program for the construction
of hospitals for the care of the natives of
Alaska, particularly those who afflicted
with tuberculosis, and it is ardently to be
hoped that at least a beginning in that con-
struction program will be made without delay.
MY own Judgment is that the whole program
could be brought TO completion far con-
struction is concerned by expenditure of
about 81. 2O00 900, and this is not at all out of
proportion to the magnitude of the work which
ought TO be done. 1t is very gratifying to know
that not only is the size of the job fully realized
by the officials of the Indian Office but that
they are theoretically working to accomplish
he desired ends and working with an under
standing and sympathy that augurs well for
success.
The problems at hand must be solved
largely by the natives themselves with such
assistance and financial aid as can be readily