dreds and even thousands of children reputed to be in the public schools who are really at home idling about or doing some of the family chores.

I have served now for 10 years as a member of the Board of Indian Commissioners, and I have observed the different phases of Indian education in all parts of the country. With every new journey and every passing year I find myself fortified in my conviction that the best instruments of Indian education are still the Government nonreservation boarding schools, supplied steadily from the reservation day and boarding schools. It is very much to be hoped that this situation will not long continue, and that Indian children will be more welcome in the public schools and more regular in their attendance; but for the time being (and I suspect for another generation) the serviceable and well-located nonreservation boarding schools should be maintained, generously equipped, and provided with skillful, experienced, and well-paid superintendents, teachers, and employees.

HEALTH CONDITIONS IN FIVE TRIBES.

We must again call attention to the deplorable health conditions among the Five Civilized Tribes. Tuberculosis and trachoma, because unchecked, continue to spread through the Indian communities in eastern Oklahoma. The imperative necessity of a permanent organization, well financed and adequately manned, for preventive and educational health work among the restricted Cherokees, Creeks, Chickasaws, Choctaws, and Seminoles is beyond question. There is no denying its urgent need. It should include sanatoria, treating stations, physicians, nurses, field matrons; in short, all of the personnel and equipment required, not only for the treatment and prevention of the diseases to which Indians seem to be peculiarly susceptible, but also to energetically conduct a campaign of education which would teach the Indians ordinary sanitary rules and practices and would tend to induce them to realize the benefits of clean homes and the dangers of infection.

Year after year Supt. Gabe Parker has asked for additional facilities to fight the twin plagues which not only are imperiling the lives and eyesight of the Indians but are a serious menace to their white neighbors. A short paragraph in his last annual report indicates the futility of his pleas; it read as follows:

Health conditions among the Indians of the Five Civilized Tribes continue as in my previous reports, except, no doubt, many diseases which might have been arrested have eaten deeper into those afflicted and spread to others. No additional facilities have been provided, notwithstanding my urgent recommendations for sanataria, physicians, and nurses.

The lines just quoted occur in his 1919 report; he begged for help to fight tuberculosis and trachoma in 1918, and in 1917, 1916, and in his first annual report, 1915. His predecessors annually called attention to the perilous situation caused by tuberculosis and trachoma in the Five Civilized Tribes. The report of 1912, under the heading, "Health," has this:

Tuberculosis is also very prevalent among the Indians of the Five Tribes and many are dying from this disease who might be cured, or their lives prolonged, if they had proper food and attention and their mode of living was changed. If in the consideration of the health of the Indians of the country, medical advice and assistance could be furnished at least to the full-blood settlements of the Five Tribes, it would be a movement well worth any expenditure.

In 1913 the superintendent, in his report, says:

No official attention was given the Five Civilized Tribes, from a medical standpoint, until the establishment of local offices in the field, July 1, 1908. Having

come in closer contact with the Indians, it became evident that the ravages of tuberculosis, trachoma, and other diseases calculated to hasten death were doing much harm among the full-blood Indians, about whom little was known to the outside world.

Again in 1914 the superintendent reports:

The health of the full-blood class of Indians of the Five Tribes is a question which demands the serious consideration of the Government. When it is considered that so many of the full-blood Indians of the Five Civilized Tribes are afflicted with tuberculosis, trachoma, or other contagious diseases there is cause for great concern on the part of the Government. I earnestly feel that while we expend so much time and money in the protection of the vast property interests of these Indians, the Government sorely neglects its duty in failing to use proper efforts to conserve their health.

In his first annual report, 1915, Supt. Parker, after detailing all the work of his office in caring for the property of the Indians under his charge, property valued at millions of dollars, says:

No other phase of the work in the Five Tribes is so important or so poorly provided for as the treatment and prevention of diseases. It is strikingly apparent from positive investigations that the situation demands immediate attention. Provisions for sanitaria, treating stations, and physicians, conveniently located, should be made without delay.

In every succeeding report he emphasizes the necessity of immediate action and asks for money and men to help him fight for the Indian's health.

We can not understand why the reiterated requests and recommendations of the Federal officials in charge of these Indians, reenforced by reports and recommendations from this board and from other organizations and individuals, should fail to meet an affirmative response from Congress and the administration. In marked contrast to the seeming indifference to the health needs of the Five Tribes is the generally favorable receptive attitude of the Government to that which concerns the material affairs of these Indians, their lands, oil, and gas properties.

In 1917 the Indian Bureau started two health drives in eastern Oklahoma, one in Choctaw and the other in Cherokee country. The physicians and matrons, in these short campaigns, for they were of short duration because of lack of funds, not only demonstrated the instant value of such work but revealed the fact that conditions were much worse than had ever been reported.

The Indians were unexpectedly enthusiastic in their cooperation. The principal chief of the Choctaws voiced his appreciation to Commissioner Ketcham as follows:

Of all things instituted for the good of our people the health drive has been of more real benefit than all others put forth in their behalf. Somehow we feel the good effects of this work more than that of any other branch of the service. I hope you will support the health drive among the Choctaws and, if possible, make it a permanent institution.

Commissioner Ketcham, who for a number of years has given much attention to the health and schools of Oklahoma Indians, was recently appointed a member of a special advisory committee on Indian health by the Oklahoma Tuberculosis Association, and through him the board is cooperating with the Oklahoma people to fight the white plague in that State. The Oklahoma State Health Association is at work on this large problem with what means it has

available. But the Government, as guardian and trustee of the Indians, has an obligation to perform to which, curiously, it seems to be indifferent. This attitude can not be attributed to lack of knowledge of conditions nor to the unconcern of the State health officials in regard to the prevalence of tuberculosis and trachoma among the Indians. Whatever the reason, there has been a lack of determination on the part of the Government to cure the evil.

The effect of this on the Indians generally is indicated in the case of the Choctaw and Chickasaw Sanatorium at Talihina. The Choctaws wanted a Choctaw-speaking official, of some sort, in that hospital ever since its opening. We have urged, with no success, that their wish be granted, not alone because we believe that this hospital, having been built with Choctaw money, should have a Choctaw official on its staff, but also because such an official would do much to overcome the reluctance of the restricted class to submit themselves for treatment in an institution administered entirely by white people.

In recent visits to the Choctaw country, Commissioner Ketcham found the Indians apathetic, almost antagonistic, toward the sanatorium. They even expressed a willingness for the State to take over the institution, contending that neither under Federal nor State supervision will the hospital, built for Choctaws by authority of the tribe with their funds, be of any particular benefit to the Indians. The optimism inspired by the short-lived health drive of 1917 seems to have died out because of the inactivity of the Government.

We again recommend that Congress appropriate a sum of money sufficient to place in the Five Civilized Tribes a permanent health organization, in accordance with the recommendations made repeatedly by Superintendent Parker and this board, and that a Choctaw official be placed in the Talihina sanatorium, in accordance with the strong desire of the Choctaw Indians.

LAW AND ORDER.

In its last annual report the board strongly recommended the enactment of a Federal law which would enable superintendents to enforce law and moral order on reservations. There are pending in Congress bills designed to make the marriage, health, educational, and criminal laws of the States effective within Indian reservations. The lack of such legislation and the inactivity of local county and State officials in the matter of assisting superintendents in the enforcement of law and moral order among the Indian wards of the Government are encouraging the increase of immorality on a number of reservations.

We, therefore, urge you to secure from Congress legislation which will meet one of the outstanding needs of the time in the administration of Indian affairs, a Federal law which will subject Indians and other persons on Indian reservations to State marriage, health, educational, and criminal laws.

THE MESCALERO APACHES.

The sale of a part of the timber on the Mescalero Reservation, N. Mex., has given the Apache Indians of the superintendency new

courage. Commissioner Scott, who visited that reservation, has recommended that Congress authorize an advanced payment to the Mescalero Indians for the timber, for the payments by the purchaser do not accrue for several years. He is of the opinion that if the work of rehabilitation on the reservation begins at once the Indians can be placed on their feet within a comparatively short time.

It would seem that the timber itself, together with any cattle which might be purchased from the proceeds of a loan, would be ample security for an advanced payment, and we therefore urge that every effort be made to secure this money so that full advantage may be taken of the renewed courage and aspirations of these Apaches.

PURCHASE OF SUPPLIES.

Commissioner Vaux, in St. Louis, and Commissioner McDowell, in Chicago, attended the annual lettings of contracts for supplies for the Indian Service. They reported that on the whole the trend of prices seemed to be somewhat lower than last year, although there was much irregularity in the bidding, and the wide ranges of the figures, even on identical samples from different bidders, were characteristic of the uncertainty in market conditions.

As in the past, they were much impressed by the able and conscientious manner in which the work was done by the several representatives of the Indian Office to whom are assigned the duties of making the selections and the awards. This year, as in previous recent years, the awarding was handicapped by the manifest lack of competition in many lines, but this difficulty, probably, will be remedied when business conditions become nearer the normal.

The board held three meetings during the year: A special meeting at Syracuse, N. Y., during which a conference was held with a number of New York Indians, July 23-24, 1919; the regular semiannual meeting at Lake Mohonk, N. Y., October 22-24, 1919; the annual meeting at Washington, January 27-28, 1920.

At the annual meeting Commissioner George Vaux, jr., of Philadelphia, Pa., was reelected chairman of the board, and Commissioner Malcolm McDowell, of Chicago, Ill., was reelected secretary, both for the ensuing year.

Commissioner Isidore B. Dockweiler resigned as a member of the board June 4, 1920.

INSPECTIONS AND SURVEYS.

Following is a summary of the inspections and surveys, together with some specific recommendations, made by members of the board and which are detailed in special reports appended hereto.

BLACKFEET RESERVATION, MONT., by Commissioner Scott, who recommended that the system of improvement leases on the irrigated lands be continued; that the timber lands be withheld from allotment and reserved for the use of the tribe; that the office work of this and other agencies be materially reduced to enable the superintendent to give more time to field work. (See Appendix A.)

CROW RESERVATION, MONT., by Commissioner Scott, who recommended that all leases hereafter written be made to contain a pro

vision that irrigable land be put in condition to turn water on all tracts and, at the expiration of the lease, the land be left with a stand of alfalfa and all improvements to become the property of the Indians; that small numbers of the tribal cattle be issued from time to time to Indians able to take care of them so that eventually the tribal stock will be held by individual Indians. (See Appendix B.)

TONGUE RIVER RESERVATION, MONT., by Commissioner Scott, who recommended that no allotments be made; that a competent physician be secured; and that the scrub horses belonging to Indians be sold or otherwise removed from the reservation. (See Appendix C.)

FORT PECK RESERVATION, MONT., by Commissioner Scott, who recommended that the irrigation system be completed, so that more land can be brought under cultivation. (See Appendix D.)

STANDING ROCK AGENCY, N. DAK., by Commissioner Scott, who suggested that a number of improvements be made in the school plant. (See Appendix E.)

LANDLESS INDIANS OF CALIFORNIA, by Commissioner McDowell, who recommended the adoption of a California Indian policy, with appropriate legislation to make it effective, to provide for the education of the children, for permanent home sites for nonreservation Indians, and adequate provision for the decent care of the aged, disabled, delinquent, and helpless; the adoption of the successful colony system established by the Indian Service in Nevada; the cooperation of the State of California, if possible, in all activities touching these Indians. (See Appendix F.)

NEEDS OF SOME CALIFORNIA INDIANS, by Commissioner McDowell, who recommended that the irrigation section of the Indian Service investigate the practicability of inexpensive irrigation systems for certain Indians; that allotments of lands heretofore made to reservation and nonreservation Indians which are entirely useless be disregarded as allotments and exchanged for lands which can be made available for home sites or small farms. (See Appendix G.)

HOOPA VALLEY RESERVATION, CALIF., by Commissioner McDowell, who recommended an appropriation for irrigating farm lands in the Hoopa Valley; that the fund secured from the sale of the surplus land of the old Klamath River Indian Reservation be made available to complete the trail along the Klamath River; that the old Klamath River Reservation and "connecting strip" be handled as a subagency, with a doctor, farmer, and field matron assigned to it; that an inquiry be made by the Indian Office into the advisability of selling the timber land of old and destitute Indians, at a sacrifice if need be, so that these Indians may have sufficient funds to keep them in comfort for their few remaining years. (See Appendix H.)

SCHOOLS IN WISCONSIN, MINNESOTA, AND SOUTH DAKOTA, by Commissioner Eliot, who recommended that the Bismarck nonreservation school be closed and the children be transferred to Wahpeton or some other convenient school; that further appropriations for buildings and equipment be discontinued for the Hayward school after July 1, 1920, and the school continued for probably two years more in order to give time to provide necessary additions at the Tomah school; that additional facilities be provided at the Tomah school; that the schools of Pipestone and Flandreau be maintained in separate and