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PLATFORM AND RESOLUTIONS.

The Society of American Indians, assembled in its Seventh annual Conference at Pierre, S. D., records its profound sense of the patriotic devotion and obligation which the great world-war now raging in the height of its fury has impressed upon the Indian. With pride and gratitude, attention is called to the unswerving loyalty, the voluntary and enthusiastic response to the call of country with which the native race of America has met the challenge of the hour. The number of population being considered, it appears that the Indians of the United States as also those of Canada, notwithstanding many injustices of the past, have entered military service in as large a proportion, if not in excess, of other elements of the inhabitants of the land. More than three-fourths of these Indians in service have volunteered, and they are enrolled in every branch of their country's service. The Indians' subscription to Liberty Bonds, and to the war activities, of the Red Cross, Y. M. C. A. and allied organizations, and the production and conservation of food to help win the war, have been not only generous but have surpassed expectation and their share of quota of assignments.

The close of the war should see the legal status and conditions of the Indians greatly improved. A grateful government and people will not withhold from the native American race full rights as free men under the Constitution. For this primary right and fundamental claim of the original occupants of the land we make renewed demands. It is the greatest anomaly of history that the Indians in this land of their nativity should be deprived of the privileges of democracy, the liberty which they love and crave, and should be subjected to reservation restrictions and petty oversight and control, without citizens' rights or a voice in the government.

The "Declaration of Policy" in relation to Indian affairs, issued on April 17, 1917, by Secretary Lane and Commissioner Sells, is an advance step in response to the urgency of this Society, as expressed in its platforms of recent years. It contemplates not the vanishing of the Indian but the disappearance of the race as a special problem and the releasing of restrictions and federal control.

As our government is at this time engaged in a heroic struggle against the German government which is animated by the spirit of the ancient barbaric Hun, it is only fitting and consistent that this contest should also see the shackles loosed from the Indian race--shackles which confine and retard these liberty loving native Americans.

We call upon the country and Congress to take immediate action for the abolishing of the Indian Bureau. It should be recognized that the Indian Bureau was never intended to be a permanent part of the Interior Department, but was erected merely to perform a temporary function.

We urge the prompt division in severalty upon the books of the government of all funds held in trust by the United States for all Indian tribes, and that these individual accounts be paid as soon as possible. Annuities and doles foster pauperism and KKKK are a curse to any people capable of independence and desirous of self-respect and esteem of their fellow men.

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We particularly call attention to the distressing condition of the Jicarilla Apaches of New Mexico; and the new danger to the peaceful and worthy Pimas, of Arizona, of being deprived of their irrigating water supply. The Government should act promptly and strongly in relief of these conditions.

We commend the new system of instruction and vocational training inaugurated last year throughout the Indian Service.

We respectfully urge that school facilities be speedily provided for the thousands of children without such advantages, that teachers entrusted with the Indian development be carefully examined and selected, and that indifferent and inefficient employes be weeded out of the education service. The slogan of all responsible persons entrusted with the education of Indian young people should be "Maintain the standard." There is great danger of making the war conditions KKIXXXKMMK a reason for lowering the tone and of excusing young people for non-attendance.

We call attention to the unseemly competition that often exists between the reservation and non-reservation Indian schools, especially under the limitations of the $200 per capita basis, and the curtailment of the liberty of parents to send their children to the schools of their preference, and even the jailing of offenders.

We renew our position on the subject of the suppression of the liquor traffic among Indians and the opposition expressed at our Cedar Rapids Conference to the use of peyote and the commerce in this drug.

With the plea for Indian rights and the demand for full freedom and citizenship, we recognize that new responsibilities are involved and new duties of self development and service to mankind. We call upon our people to prepare by education, public spirit, patriotic devotion, and mingling with the white people of the land, for the larger sphere of activities and the greater influence involved in their complete emancipation from wardship and from paternalistic government control.

The Society of American Indians occupies the field of organization as the one national society, composed of Indians and their white friends, as the exponent of Indian welfare and advancement, and the country's good. We call to our colors all forward-looking, unselfish Indians of good-will and pride of race whose co-operation and support are greatly needed at this epical time in Indian life. With gratitude for the inestimable aid of our associate members, we seek to increase their number and to accomplish hearty co-operation.

If there ever was a time when we should redouble our efforts for the welfare of our race it is now. The world in turmoil and unrest--war raging on land and sea--our young men called to battle fields, many of them never to return. The conditions summon us to a quickened service in behalf of our native American race and to lives of sacrifice.