Edited by Wassaja{Dr, Montezuma's Indian name, meaning "Signaling'' ) an Apache Indian. 

Vol. , 3, No. 3 ISSUED MONTHLY June, 1918 

MADE TO BELIEV F. TH EY ARE CITIZENS 
AND FREE WHEN THEY ARE NOT 

The five civilized tribes of Oklahoma and other 
Indian tribes of the same state are made to believe 
they are citizens and free. True, voting 
privileges are given to them, but where is their 
money? Why have they a Superintendent? Who 
leases the oil lands for the Indians in Oklahoma? 
A person must feel nice to realize that all the 
privileges and rights of citizenship are his when it 
is not so; a person must feel awful free to be 
told that he is free WHEN HE IS NOT FREE 
AT ALL. Here, "ignorance" muot be "bliss." 

My dear good friend Indians of Oklahoma, you 
are not true citizens and free men. 

To be a free man is to be endowed with the 
rights of liberty as enjoyed by your neighbor, 
under the state you live and P"Y the allegiance 
due to your country. When your enjoy those 
rights, you are a free man. But when you have 
the Indian Bureau squelching you, and keeping 
you fro.m your rights as a man, and when 
you cannot even make a ·single move, before you 
can speak, and before you can spend your own 
money and dispose of your own property,you must 
have the approval of the Secretary of the Interior 
with the signature of the Commissioner of Indian 
Affairs, you are not free. You are a creature to 
be pitied-a national disgrace. Such act on the 
part of the Government belittles you and says, 
"You are like a man, but not a man. The Indian 
has not the brain to look after his affairs. {Incompetent.) 
Kindness on our part, we will transact 
h!s ~.usiness .and do everything, in proxy, for 
h,m. A nation that has a guardian to do every


thing for them is not free. That is the status of 
our race, and the Indian Bureau is the "nigger in 
the wood-pile." They would keep us until we 
are all competent-and that means forever and 
without end. 

Shame upon the Indian warrior who will stand 
before the world and say, that he is not capable 
of taking care of himself; he is like a baby, that 
must be coddled and bottled by the Indian Bureau, 
and that he has no higher am!::ition than to be 
used as a tool and die as a worthless creature. 
My Indian friends of America, is that your senti• 
ment? If not, there ia only one th.ng to be done 
and the Indians must back the forces that will 
accomplish that great and most vital object for 
freeing the Indians, and that is, HAVE THE 
INDIAN BUREAU ABOLISHFD. 

We cannot be free when we have something 
around our necks; something around our body, 
something around our legs, something around 
our hands and something over our mouths, and 
something that keeps us from de,•e!oping the 
faculties which God has given us. Who is that 
"SOMETHING?" It is the Indian Bureau. War· 
riors, write from where you arc to your Representatives 
and Senators at Washin11ton to HAVE 
INDIAN BUREAU COMPLETELY ABOL. 
!SHED. Do not stop there, but carry the message 
on to other Indians in other states and 
let them do the samething. 

PR EJ°UD ICE 

What is prejudice? It is misjudging your 
brother. When one has prejudice against the 
Indians and is employed in the Indian Service, 



2 



''.WASSAJA" 
Vol. 3, No. 3 JUNE, 1918 

Subscription, SO Cents a Year 

Single Copies, Sc 100 for $2.00 

ADDRESS ALL COMMUNICATIONS TO 

CARLOS MONTEZUMA, M. D . 

3135 S. Park Ave. Chicago, Illinois 

that man's work comes to naught, as to coing any 
good, for the Indians. Anyone who says, that 
the lndirns are inc..pable of taking care of themselves 
and should hwe the Indian Bureau to look 
after them, that is the worst kind of prejudice 

feeling he can have for the Indians, He may 
think, he is saying it for the best interest of the 
Indians, but it is prejudice all the same. 

How tanacious this feeling clings in the Indian 
Bureau and among or<caniz,tions that have 
worked with the Indian Office; even the public 
is saturated with the same false notion of the 
Indians: "That they are born to die as wards of 
the Government," This general bad feeling has 
been deeply rooted into the minds of the past 
generations, that the present generation, believes 
every word that has been said against the Indians. 
It has been so unmercifully grafted into 
the prejudice feelings of the country that those in 
power at Washington cannot believe the Indian 
is nothing more nor less than what they have 
read in books. Many great and good people, 
now living, cannot believe that the Indians can 
take care of themselves without the aid of the 
Government. No greater error can be entertained 
by any one than this ruinous prejudice 
notion, that the Indians are not men enough to 
take care of themselves, yet, they will confess 
the Indians were the most independent nation on 
the face of the earth when found by the inYaders. 
These all-wise men (Board of Indian 
Commiasioners) supposed to be philanthropies, 
"the woods &re full of them." 

Hawk-eyed like, they stare and never wince. 
They are petrifie.l to their belief about the poor 
Indians. Even when there is one or more Indians 
prove to the contrary of their belief, by their education 
and reaching, the highest that man can gothere 
is no use of talking-they are so "sot" in 
their minds that they are like stones to logic; 
proofs are mockeries and insults to them. They 
will not be convinced, they will not listen, they 
will turn from you and say: "Oh, well, he or 
they are exceptions," and pus on. • They do not 
want to be convinced. They prefer to die in that 
belief, "that an Indian is an Indian, and that it 
will take evolution to solve the Indian problem," 
rather than to humiliate themselves by confessing 
they were wrong in misjudging the red man. 

''The name wIndian,1 attached to us, has been 
a ruinous nature. We are not Indiana. We are 
Americans. The Indian Bureau is a monument 

of falaity on the aboriginal Americans. It is a 
factory for manufacturing prejudice against the 
Indians. If the factory (Indian Bureau) stopped 
doing so, where would it be? 

Since the existence of the Indian Burea~. in 
order to keep itself up and get more appropriations 
from Cong~ess, it has rattled and harped 
upon, that the Indians cannot do this and cannot 
do that; he must have this and must have that, 
and what has been the result? Telling the untruth 
for the sake of the almighty dollar and using 
the Indiana to get the money. This is a national 
crime. With all of that, the Indian has always 
bobbed up and shown himself not to be what 
he was judged to be. 

The present greaser of the Indian Bureau Machine 
believes in evolution to solve the Indian 
problem. He thinks the Indian is a problem, 
when he is not a problem at all. He is lost on 
Indian matters. He does not know what to do, 
He grasps at prejudice to help him out· 

In order to help the Indians or any race, one 
must be free from prejudice, be on the square and 
act as a brother unto all men. That is the solution 
of injustices, man to man, and not evolution. 

00•-•00•-•0•-•00•-oO•-•OO•-oOO 

i CORRESPONDENCE i 

00•-•00•-•0•-•00•-•0•-•00•-•00 
GOOD FOR "W ASSAJA'' 

May 7th, 1918. 
DEAR SIR AND FRIEND:


! noticed an article in your paper the other day 
which seemed to me to be one of the most striking 
patriotic writings that I have ever seen written on 
paper, in which you stated, "thatthe Indian Office 
should be wiped out and the employea put in 
the army or navy, where they would be of some 
use instead of a dead expense to the Government, 
to say nothing about the leak that it would stop 
in our tribal funds whatever." Would it not be 
one of the most patriotic moves that the Government 
could possibly make to put the Indian Office 
out of the way and let the Indians loan their own 
money which these agents hold in trust for them? 
There is no doubt but there are several hundred 
thousand dollars being held m trust for the indians 
that is doing good to no one, other than 
the Indian Office, 

Understand, I am not speaking of the head 
office at Washington alone, for there is that large 
an amount being held by agents throughout 
the country, If Uncle Sam only knew the hearts 
of the Indians and would give them justice, no 
one could guess of the many millions of dollar• 
that they would aid their Government with and 
how big an expense they would relieve the Gov· 
ernment of, just by being honest and giving the 
only true American his freedom. 

I would like to write more and explain some 
things to you in regard to the misjudgment that 
is given to the Indians; something that I have 
witneased myself, but the limited space will 



WASS AJA 


not permit me. I feel that every Indian should 
have one of those papers, and when I get where 
I can do some good, I will spread some of your 
copies among my fellow men. 

Yours very truly, .. * * 

MY DEAR DOCTOR:You 
are right when you announced your decla. 
ration, "Let My People Go," by abolishing the 
Indian Bureau. I agree with every sentence of 
your pamphlet. The facts on record tell the 
truth that the Indian Bureau always has been and 
always will be corrupt. It is a wrong policy to 
take care of the Indians when they can take care 
of themselves. 
Aboliali the Indian Bureau and place the In· 
dians on the same footing, as the Constitution 
provides for its citizens. If the Government con· 
tinues to rule the Indians by the Bureau system, 
the hirelings in the system will misrule to 
gain their selfish purposes. 
Very sincerely yours, •·

* 
* 

AN 
EXCERPT FROM PRESIDENT WILSON'S 
WAR RED CROSS SPEECH IN NEW 

YORK, MAY 18, 1819 

..When you think of this, you realize how 
the people of the United States are being 
drawn together into a great intimate family 
whose heart is being used for the service of 
the soldiers not only, but for the service of 
civilians, where they suffer and are lost in 
a maze of distresses and distractions. 

..And you have, then, this noble picture 
of justice and mercy as the two servants· of 
liberty. For only where men are free do they 
think the thoughts of comradeship; only 
where they are free do they think the 
thoughts of sympathy; only where they are 
free are they mutually helpful; only where 
they are free do they realize their dependence 
upon one another and their comradeship 
in a common interest and common 
necessity... 

Do you mean what you sav, Mr. Wilson? If 
you do, as President of the United States, you 
have the power to free the Indian race. They 
are wards ; they are not free. The Indian Bureau 
has them in their ruinous grasp; Thev are not 
free. The Indians are not citizens. THEY WERE 
IN AMERICA BEFORE COLUMBUS. 

The Indiana are not free. The Indiana have 
not equal rights. 
Where equal rights are preached, the Indiana 
are not free. The Indians are kept at a distance, 
The light of the world is not for them to 
enjoy; they are not free. 
They live in ignorance on reservations ; they 
are pacified by politicians; they are not free. 
Oh, heavens! Would to God that you see 
that the Indiana are not free. 

Your worda are mockeries to freedom's realm, 
if you have humanity at heart, if you believe in 
equal rights for all races of all clime~, and if you 

see the Indian race, the true Americana of America, 
reeling under the lashes of cruel masters and 
being in the atmosphere of hell and all that is 
unjust, and you do not heed, but preach? You 
have the power lo 1Let My People Go.• Nowact 
and prove yourself what you say, if you mean it. 

THIS INDIAN FILED UNIQUE CLAIM FOR 
EXEMPTION FROM THE DRAFT 

The Dalles, · Ore., April 13-0ne thing 
certain this Indian didn' t want to fight. Just 
look at his unique exemption plea. It was 
written by Jake Culps of the Warren Springs 

reservation. 

His letter reads: 

.. I am Indian, and I am Indian who they 

made a reservation for, and for what kind 

of Indians. And I am just the seem (same) 

as 
long ago. I cannot become a citizen. 

Because we are unfit to become citizens. I 

see 
myself yet as long ago. I am speaking 

my 
own la nguage yet.. 

..I see myself not fit to become a citizen. 

There for I should be exempted. I am sure 

I have no law of any kind, just you white 

people have law. I am in the reservation. 

And I am Indian who have not yet join in 

anything of citizenship. We may or we may 

not. 

..You are getting the young men of our 
race. And you are getting the young men 
who are full blooded Indians, who are not 
citizens. The father, mother or g randfather 
· or grandmother are unable to work. And 
now these young men are taking care of their 
people because they got the strength to work. 
There for the law of the house of Washing· 
ton, D. C., is finding us non-citizens are not 
to go to war. That for I know myself. 
Therefor I am tell you. The race of my 
tribe is valuable. There for I think I should 

not 
taken in to war. 

..My old people never joined with any 

kind of a thing with your white or they never 

had white people way. You know our tribe 

has no fla g which they carried in war. Just 

you white oeople has flag which you carried 

in 
war. There for I say I am entirely 

exempted from war. 

..I never asked no time for citizenship. 
There for I do not know myself as a citizen. 
I am in a reservation of Warm Springs 
reservation of Oregon. I do not know of 
my chiefs ask for citizenship. Now, as the 
law says all Indians that are full blooded 
are not citizens. These are the kind of 
citi7ens we are full blooded, non-citizens. 

..There for we say us Indians keep still 

for " while, let us explain to you our thoughts. 

..From where did a wonderful light from 

here over to you. The light of this earth 

and my humanity. Therefor your brother 

sent some person to come .and gave our 

people some good speach and ask our people 

for land. There they completed there speach. 


WASSAJA

4 


They completed it with peace. Therefore, 
Indians do not want to step on the bloody 
ground of war. The creation of this earth 
was not created to go and have war on, or 

war purposes." 

WASSAJA wrote to the Department of Justice 
in regard to the Indian status relative to the war, 
but never did get an answer. WASSAJA un. 
derstands that no Indian ward of the Government 
can be drafted into the army or navy. Any In. 
dian ward of a proper age. physically qualified 
and of HIS OWN FREE WILL AND ACCORD, 
can volunteer into the army or navy, but no In. 
dian can be forced into the army or navy against 
his will. Some people may ask why these ex. 
ceptions. It is just this: Indians are not free ; 
they are wards, another word for SL~VES. They 
are not real citizens; they have spurious citizer.ship 
to ease their minds. Equal rights in their 
own country is unknown to them. Indians are 
RESERVED on reservr.tions whre thev are cor. 
rupted, ruined and treated as helpless ·creatures. 
The public is taxed and the Indian Office is kept up 
to do this hellish busin,ess. This is far from being 
humane. If Indians are not citizens, do they not 
come under the alien class? No. An alien in the 
United States is a non-citizen who has a country 
somewhere on the globe, but the Indian isa non. 
citizen of his own country, having not the rights 
and privileges thereof. It makes one"s heart go 
mad to think of such injustice. Countrymen, 
patriots, can you blame thia Indian for standing up 
as he does? By the scale of justice he is right. 
An Indian may be silent on this war, just as he 
should. How can he believe that you are fight. 
ing for liberty and freedom when he is caged on 
a reservation aa a prisoner and has not the rights 
of a free man? How can he believe that you are 
fighting for democracy when his mouth is silenced, 
he cannot move, being held by the tryanny of the 
Indian Agents, et aD How can he believe that 
you are fightin2 for equal rights, when no such 
thing has ever been awarded to him} How can 
he believe you are not fighting for expansion, 
when you have taken all of his land? How can 
believe you are fight for humanity, when you have 
crushed all that is in him and you say, that he is 
just an Indian, and how in the' name of his Great 
Spirit can he believe that you are fighting fer 
justice, when you have not dealt justly with him? 
Many good people will see the wise logic of the 
poor Indian's plea for exemption, and they will ask 
what can be done fo wipe away our sins against 
the TRUE AMERICANS. 

TAKEN FROM THE "LE,\VENWORTH NEW 
ERA" BY MRS. M. B. BOOTH 

"The men within the walls would think and 
feel, worry or agonize, in their mental and 
moral .revolt against the unjust things said 
and published about them in the outside 
world, but they had to accept it in silence. 
Writers and students seemed to think they 

were a ..problem,·' ..mass of specimens," 

to be studied, analyzed, criticized and tabulated. 
Their fate was to be decided by the 
opinion~ of the outer-world mortals. Con


clusions were reached and verdicts an


nounced that were to be accepted as final, 

and from the brains and pens of those who 

knew nothing from first-hand experience. 

Many a time from platform and through 

the press have I answered, contradicted and 

fought these theorists and critics. But the 

""boys'" themselves, those most concerned, 

had perforce to bear it all in silence. 

Now, the prison press in state after state 

has a voice and influence of its own. 

Thank God fo r this good chance that 
proves indeed the breaking of the padlocks 
that close in the feelings of the prison world!" 

The Indian reservation system -THE PRISON 
OF THE IND1AN3-the same agencies and Indian 
Bureau have had a ruinous and prejudice 
effect on the Indians and the result is that the 
Indians have wronglv been placed outside the 
pale of civilization. When brought into civiliza· 
tion, you will see them in shows. The self.claimed 
benefactor o f the Indians, by the organs through 
which he toots his horn (Indian school publications;) 
this magnanamous and most loving (?) 
friend of the Indians, believes that the In. 
dians are not yet ready to abolish him and the 
Indian Bureau which makes great ado over him. 
He ha, so faithfully devoted his time to the stndy 
of his words and has come to the conclusion that 
the Indian question is a problem, and that by the 
aid of his able assistance and other wise men 
(Board of Indian Commissioners) of hi! calibre, 
after a thorough and much devoted time on the 
character and customs of these red children, they 
have come to the conclusion that they, who are 
way above them in everything by the rights of 
science, say, "We must go very slow with 
them. It took us 6,000 years to get a continent 
for nothing, so mu.tit take the Indians the same 
length of time to be like us. Believe· me. You 
aee the Indian question is a problem, and you 
cannot settle it by dethroning me and my little 
czars. The solution of the Indian problem is by 
evolution and not by taking the Indians away 
from me and Uncle Sam. That would make a 
man out of the Indian. It is evolution and shut 
up on the Indian man part.. It is evolution." 

Bahl The Indian would say, "Hee hah""
HOT AIR!'' 

FROM FORMER INSPECTOR W. H. GIBBES 

Former U.S. Indian Inspector in the Interior 
Department, Knows What He Expreasea 
on Indian Affairs 


To my mind, too, this is no time for "ifs" 

and "buts" ; it is a time for united and whole


hearted support-of our great national ad


ministration. 

Our fighting men are doing their share; we 

who can not win glory with them should 

cheer them on and never by a word or look 

or deed place a damper on their patriotism 

or a check upon their courage. 

Only one petition would I make : Free the 
Indians from serfdom in America w hile w e 
are fighting for liberty for the rest of the world. 

Columbia. "The State." . W. H . GIBBES.