The Wilmington morning star., 1940-11-16
WASHINGTON
DAYBOOK
BY JACK sTINNETT

WASHINGTON, Nov. IS While the worlc
has been rolling on with other and more
momentous matters, a revolution has beer
taking place in the teepees and around the
council fires OF the American Indians.
Out comes the Bureau Of Indian Affairs
with the results Of a survey extending from
Alaska to the sands Of the Mojave that will
knock the feathers right out Of your war bon.
net. The facts are that the old idea that In.
dian women are subordinate to their braves
has been proved to be as dead as the ptero.
dactyl.
A few recalcitrant old braves may still be
pulling their blankets around them, shaking
tneir bralds and wondering what the modern
indian maiden is coming to, but they are in
a vast minority. Younger bucks of the tribes
not only have been accepting this new free.
dom among their women but have been aid.
ing and abetting them in it by %electinp them
to tribal councils and to other posts formerly
held only by men.
For example in Nome, Alaska, where the
community Is largely dominated by men, a
secret ballot for members Of the council nj
the Nome Eskimo community-a native cor.
poratlon chartered by the government-forr
OF the five positions went to women. Only
Moody Etageak Saved the day for the males
and came off with the not too choice most Of
vice president.
SUFFRAGE FOR ALL
Commissioner of Indian Affair. roh, ~.,,;.u
says there are 1875 Indian communities in the
United States and Alaska where constitutions
governing tribal affairs have been adopted
and In not one Of these is there a single
stipulation against women's voting and HOLDING
office. "
In the Ute tribal council in Colorado, two
er, sit with five men. Clara Wicks. a shasta
inolan, IS president Of the council OF the In
uians IN Quartz Valley, Cal. Bessie Tillohash. a
Ote. Is a member of the Shivwitz council in
Otah; MRS. Virginia H. Walker, a full blood
omana, is treasurer Of the Omaha council
m NEBRASKA. On the Wind River reservation
~ wyoming, Mrs. Nellie F. Scott is president
~ a.. niapanoe council. The Fort Hall Udaho)
RESERVATION business council now has its frs,
woman member in Sarah p. SHINE . f,,,I
blood Bannock. S"ipe d fuu'
could go on-the list is long. Mr.. Collier
says this change in Indian affairs really has
eaken place in the last six years. The Indian
reorgan1zatlon act in 1884 gave Indian gro,,n,
ne risnt 70 dra1t their constitutions for local
and to borrow from the federal revo1v;na
credit fund to establish their tr;h.s ~ .ae
nomic enterprise. " GU
IN CIVIL SERVICE JOBS
Inc 1nolan ma1dens had learned a thing or
:"o from their white sisters and lost no time
M setung the vote and using it. Since the
m y already had established themselves in
tne arts and crafts, the sewing, canning pouI.
Try raising and other things by which the
indian family income is supplemented. their
place at the new council tables immediately
became important.
In one other respect, the government has
given the Indian woman a break in her
search for q new freedom. The reorpaniz.+ioa
act also set forth hat Indians should be oivsn
civil service preference IN the office of Indian
Affairs Huh1dre~. OF Indian girls have been
given Jobs since then. There are 100 Indian
women now 'eaehnx In sne Indian service
nurses in Indian service hospitals. One more
generation, and no one ever will believe thai
time was when the squaw's place-only placo
was in the teepee. ~