INDIANS: 350000

In England in the 18th Century, many a poet rhapsodized on the noble redskin, wept at the thought that some day no more Indians would live to roam through the American forest primeval.

Last week, had they been living, these poets might have leapt exuberantly, clapped hands on hearing the report of Charles H. Burke, Commissioner of Indian Affairs in the U. S. He announced that the redskin population is on the rise, that there are now 350,000 Indians in the U. S., an increase of 4½2% within the last decade. The Cherokee tribes of North Carolina, more prolific than the rest, have boosted their numbers 34% since 1912.

Said Commissioner Burke: "I know of no dependent people in the world's history who have made more rapid progress during the last 50 years than the American Indian .... Congress has appropriated since 1871 for the support, education and civilization of the Indians $460,000,000. As a result of this generosity by our Government, the Indians today are an economic, artistic and intellectual asset to our national life."

Except a few who have struck oil on their land allotments, and now ride around in straight-eights, most of the Indians are still poor enough to need Government aid.