Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1942-11-20
IDAHO INDIANS
GOING "ALL OUT"
IN WAR EFFORTS
THEY MORN AND FIGHT FOB
LAND ANCESTORS LOVED BE-
FORE WHITE MAN CANE

Into . general store at Fort Hall.
Idaho. Indian reservation town,
trudged an old Indian woman, her
shoulders wrapped In a dusty blanket.
Prom the wraps voluminous folds she
drew forth . well-worn war stamp
booklet. Purchasing two l0-cent
stamps, she affixed them skillfully.
then turned to the storekeeper and
began to haggle with him about the
price Of hoe.
A bystander asked, What are you
going to do with the hoe2"
She replied: My son fights. work"
Her response typifies the willingness
with which 100000 American Indians
are working and fighting for the land
their ancestors loved centuries before
the Pilgrims landed.
From Indian Commissioner John
Collier down. employees Of the Office
OF Indian Affairs are generous In their
praise OF the Indians participation
In the victory program.
At Fort Hall, semi-arid half
mountainous square tract in south
eastern Idaho, Supt. C. L. Graves, a
square-built veteran Of the Indian
service sums up the agricultural con-
tributions of the Bannacks, Shoshones
and Lehis on the reservation this way:
Know What War Means
There isn't any group Of farmers
contributing more to the department
of agriculture's food-for freedom goal
than are the Indians. They know what
war means, and like you and me they
know It's got to be won. So they are
helping to win It," go.
He points out that nearly every
home on the reservation has victory
garden. The women are making good
use Of these gardens, canning thou
sands Of quarts Of vegetables for win
ter.
Last summer, the Fort Hall tribal
council voted to move its traditional
sun dance ahead three weeks SO 1t
would not interfere with haying. Live
stock raising has been the livelihood
Of most western Indians for many
years, and the quality Of Indian meat
animals always has been high. But to-
day, Graves explains, "the Indians
want to increase their winter market
ings in keeping with the governments
expanded production goals, and the
braves are taking better care Of their
animals this year than ever before.
to see that there are more pounds per
head"
Collected Scraps
The Indians help in other ways, too.
when the salvage board first asked
for scrap metal the tribes organized
and carried out their own collection
drive" Graves reports. 1T was so sue
cessful haven't seen single piece
of scrap iron lying around the reser-
walton since it ended, and that's more
than can be said for most other COM
munities."
A rubber recollection drive resulted In
a similar success where 1000 pounds Of
old tires were turned in from that
land Of ponies, wagons and sheep.
Indian men are subject to selective
service, and more than 5000 are now
serving in the armed forces.
Right now there are scores of young
Fort Hall men and some girls at work
In plane factories and shipyards or
studying wartime trades in vocational
schools.
When last winter the historic Iro-
quois confederacy made formal dec
laration Of war against the Axis the
action had the wholehearted support
of all Indians. Commissioner Collier
at that time warned enemy nations
not to treat the declaration lightly.
The six nations voted war against
Germany in 1917 and have never rati-
fled the Versailles treaty.