The Washington times., 1937-10-16
"I Work F or
Uncle Sam"
BIZ Alma Sioux ScGrberry
Brilliant
Cree, True Son
OF Uncle Sam

DARCY MCN1CkIe Is b GIu0
child Of Uncle Sam. This bril-
liant cree Indian was born on
the Flathead reservation in Mon
tana. His people have been in
the fur trade for many genera
tionS.
The story Of how McNickle hap
pens to have been brought up
on the Flathead reservation is
in itself q faScinatil story.
The cultured, handsome admin
istrative assistant in tn" T7dian
Bureau. tells it, however, in a
much more thrilling manner
than it could be related in cold
print.
One Of D'Arcy's ancestors was
Joseph Parentau, guide to
Daniel Thompson, when the IA
nous explorer delved into the
Northwest in 1905. Thompson
went over the Rockies just
north Of where Lewis md Clark
led their expedition, and was
around those parts before they
arrived, according to the we'll
informed Cree.
REBELLED IN 1873
In 1873 the Crees at Red
River (where McNickel's anceS-
tors lived) rebelled against the
British government. The Hud-
son Bay Company that year
sold their land through the ter
ritory. The Red River Indi-
ans felt they lad been sold up
the river, too, so to speak, for
it had been their homeland
for so long.
When the Queens surveyors
came through, the Indians rose
in arms. Louis Riel, an aSso-
ciate Of McNickle's grandfather,
led the rebellion, and grandpa
fought right along with him.
But the Red River Indians were
unsuccessful and forced to move
into Saskatchewan. In 1885
they staged another rebellion.
This time they were thor
oughly defeated and the grand
father escaped with his wife
and children into Montana,
with a price on his head. He
was received and adopted into
the Flathead tribe. D'Arcy's
mother was a little girl Of three.
And that is how the McNickleS,
who are really Crees, happened
to settle among the Flatheads.
STUDIED ABROAD
Except for a period in the
Government school in Oregon,
Darcy McNickle was on the
reservation until he was 81.
Then he went to the University
Of Montana in Missoui. Dur
ing his senior year he went to
England and entered oxford for
two terms. From there he went
to the University of Grenoble
in France, and later to Colum-
bia University in New York.
It would be impossible to find
an American with more charm
of speech or manner than this
French-Indian. (He has bit
Of French blood intermingled
with the Cree.) He dresses in
excellent taste and is truly a
credit to the Indian race.
Last year McNickle was hailed
as the author of distinguished
novel, "The Surrounded" 1t re-
ceived excellent reviews. The
story of a young man, half
Spanish, half Indian, it told of
the struggle Of the hero to live
among his people and adjust
himself to the background Of
his ancestors when he had been
brought up and educated as a
white man.
FEELS DEEPLY
The author feels this Indian
problem deeply. That is why he
speaks almost reverently Of John
Collier, Indian Affairs Commis-
sioner, who has changed things
about for the Red Man and made
it possible for him to reestabliSh
his own government. Indian
tribes can now incorporate as
Federal corporations and, like
any other business organization.
handle their own money, police
their own land, sell their own
timber,
Now the theory is that it is
best to let them remain Indians.
and not try to separate them
from their tribal customs and
make them over into strangers
to their own kind. It made for
heartbreak and discomfort.
WENT THROUGH IT
Darcy himself, though still
q young man, went through the
AnuEpTISEME