Show WHO IS STEALING NV WHOM who is responsible for tho the theft among the indians four long haired navajo indians all dressed in rough denim clothing of almost identical pattern appeared in court recently charged with grand larceny it is alleged that they killed a beef belonging to the S S cattle company none of the four indians either spoke or understood english much less familiar with the proceedings ce in a white mans court without being conscious of it or in any way being party to it their very appearance in an environment so foreign to their ken elicited sympathy from some of the onlookers it is not that their sympathisers sympathizers could or would stop the prosecution of their crime if they yere were allowed to get away with it there would be wholesale slaughter of cattle on many ranges the question is who is responsible for a condition where they should even want to steal or where circumstances perhaps made it necessary that they should steal if they or their families were not to starve it is the background of these indians and many thousands of others in a like state of ignorance and want that causes a twinge of sympathy and conscience in the th well fed and well clothed whites that observed their app appearance barance in court in the land of the free where we boast of our high percentage of literacy and where every one is supposed to have the same right of growth and development how does it happen that there should be a race of ignorant and malnourished people the navajo was once a proud and independent individual so sure of his ability to take care of himself and protect protea t its his a an territory that he made the mistake of opposing the united states when it threatened to take possession of his territory in defending his rights he resorted to all manner of tricks which brought the wrath of the whites do down n upon him it was decided that he would have to le be thoroughly E subjected and chast ened he was therefore with all his clans and families taken into sant fe where he was incarcerated in a stockade for two years by which time his spirit was broken and he was ready to enter into any kind of agreement to regain his freedom and his cherished right to go and come as his fathers had done for generations it was under these conditions that the united states of america entered into a solemn soleman treaty with the navajo nation that they would be provided with schools for every thirty of their children that they would have other advantages that the white man was enjoying so that they could meet him on his own ground and be a self belt supporting self respecting people have we kept that prom promise IseT have we returned the property to the navajo nation that we took in exchange for this promise on the reservation every year many navajo families gather what hat they can in the way of clothing nd cash and travel in some instances several days travel to one of the few schools for their people and in many cases they are turned back with the sad story that there are not facilities for their children to attend school the navajo indians have been exploited for alf all they were worth as a tourist attraction and in some cases by unscrupulous traders and have received little in return there are times when misguided individuals or agencies have given relief 9 in the form of dole or handouts of food foo d and clothing this might be excusable in case of dire emergency but it is not what will viii rehabilitate the nation of on once cle proud people it is under conditions like this that the four men charged with stealing a beef grew up subject to all ail the limitations and penalties for violations of the white mans laws but enjoying none of the advantages again we wonder who is responsible for their plight 19 |