1938 How Sorry is the Paleface?
1938, Nov 19 Lansing State Journal
Indians are at present being victimized by confidence operators among them on the basis of a partial truth. This partial truth matter is of importance to others besides Indians.The Indians are being told that if they will contribute a dollar, the money will be used at Washington to pay secretaries and office rent, we suppose, to hasten an appropriation which will return to the Indians $3000 for every Indian living and the same for every disgruntled Indian ancestor dead. White folks have -- "fallen for" -- less alluring promises.
The Indians are being told that the white man is sorry for what his ancestors did to the Indians and so desires to make recompense. Now this is the partial truth -- but not all of it. Few, indeed, are present-day folks who desire to dig up more taxes wherewith to pay Indians $3000 a head.
Looking at what went on in America with our "hind sight" we see what the first folks could not see with their defective foresight. We can see that Indians and pale faces could have arranged to get along on this continent to be the good of a vast number without doing violence, if the element of bling anger and resentment had not entered.
Looking back, we see one side as blamable as the other, but the pale face had more ammunition. We are sorry our ancestors did not, exercise more forbearance but not $3000 worth of our own money.
If Adolf Hitler tries to justify his course by reference to our course with the Indians he will not be able to make it stick.
1938, Nov 19 Lansing State Journal |