Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-06-17
Red Birds
Art Criticism
Gets Support
He Stink Chief Opines
Of Roman Nose Mural
BY HUGH s. JOHNSON

Their grievance was painted
m u "a on the walls of the
Watonga post office. They pick
eted the post office. They criti-
cized the picture. 1t represented
a famous nineteenth century
chief, Roman Nose, Mrs. Nose
and family with three mounted
bucks and what, apparently. in
the background, is white FAM
lily just passing through on a
migration. There. somebody is
milking a cow-which just didn't
happen in those circumstances.
Chief Red Bird. who protested
against the mural, didn't men
ton that, but his complaint of
the rest OF the picture was
sufficient and succinct.
"He stink" he said.
cordially Gomez. The mural
Is in the early Russian, middle
Mexican. slightly Soviet. or late
WPA boondoggling school of
serniposter mural art--a trifle
Hopkinson in concept and per-
haps a little Ickesian in execu-
ton.
MAYBE I am prejudiced. AS a
4'A kid. 1 worked in n much
more important post office at
Alva. about so miles from the
Cheyenne and Arapaho reserva-
ton. The only murals we had
were a freckled fire insurance
calendar and a large fiy-specked
Autograph, published by beer
company, of Clusters. Last
Stand"
The latter was also mac
curate, at least as 10 General
Custer shown looking like
Goldie Locks when everybody
knows he went into that fight
with his hair cut just as short
as MIR. Zip-Zip-Zip's.
But il was very vivid and
showed soldiers scalped and
being scalped and Indians
Cheyennes and Sioux principally
actually pursuing their ton
serial avocation. Crude sure, but
not so crude as the Wstenga
mural. Sitting Bulls own pic
torial Autobiography is far more
artistic than either.
The whole tribe OF southern
Cheyennes came frequently TO
Alva, by invitation and permits
sion. l used TO wonder if that
picture was part of the reason.
because they always came. sim
ely or in little groups. 10 look
at it-over their shoulders, out
of the corner of their eyes
"surreptitiously" is the word
Why? Most Of the older ones.
including the squaws had ac-
tually been there. That was
only IL TO 20 years earlier and
those Indians weren't talking
among white people about the
Little Big Horn massacre.
I MAY be mistaken, through
Il faulty memory. but l think
I knew Roman Nose, himself.
Anyway, / knew lot Of Chey-
ennes. They were the dudes of
the whole Indian race so far as
savage finery is concerned. and
from personal observation, / can
testify that the Watonga mural
is a pictorial libel.
/ spent as much time as /
could at that Cheyenne camp
and talked with many Indians
about that beer picture. None
was ever very voluble, but none
ever said. "he stink"
The indignation Of r. Bird
Esq, was high. The ponies are
bay or gray with necks absurdly
arched like a Greek horse on a
funeral urn. Indian ponies were
mostly ewe-necked and many Of
them Pinto or Paint (which
means spotted.
The indignant chief COM
planned that Roman Noses hair
is tied up with cheap grocery
store wrapping-twine, instead OF
buckskin, his feathers on wrong.
his breechclout too short, and
his general appearance and trap
pings those of the pueblo-dwel-
ling foot-slogging. agricultural
Navajo. To the pony Indians Of
the plains. nothing was lower
except the California Diggers.
Finally, Roman Nose was a
husky giant, most Indian kids
are why little brats, and squaws
are squaws. In this boondoggle,
Roman Nose looks like an adj
vanced case Of ricketts,, his child
rem as though they had been
inflated with a tire-pump and
Mrs. Nose-an ethereal vision in
snow-white buckskin.
She appears as dusky lady
of the lake, clothed in white
Samite" or bright Alfaratta.
there by the waters of the blue
Juan AIN other words,
booshwa.
II was too much for Chief
Red Bird.
There is no question Of Red
Birds Justification. but If know
Indians, and / do a little, he is
getting heap-big publicity and
having a lot of fun.
by King Features synd.. lnC
Reproduction In whole or in part
strictly prohibited.
nNr yran AGO TnntV