The World War did much toward impressing the Indian with the truth that his welfare can only be advanced through opportunity to share the benefits accruing to our free and self-governing nation. “The Indians signally honored themselves” by the part they took in war activities, but the commissioner dissented from the proposition to make of them separate units in the army. “I want the Indian to go into this conflict as the equal and comrade of every man who assails autocracy and ancient might, and to come home with a new light in his face and a clean conception of the democracy in which he may prosper and participate.” In 1920 he adds that the recent attitude of our government has been “sympathetic, humane and definitely practical,” and recognizes the Indian as “the first and hyphenless American, with quick intellect, glowing spirituality, ardent love for his children, and faithful to his promises”—until betrayed. In his tribal state, all his training was individualistic; the good of the whole was not definitely sought for. “In our policy of absorbing the Indian into the body politic,” we must educate him to care for the welfare of society, but we “must take into account his peculiar endowment which is his social heritage,—religion, art, deftness of hand and sensitive esthetic temperament.” A most interesting piece of information in the Report is that “Indian soldiers and sailors honorably discharged from service in the World War may be granted citizenship by Federal courts without affecting their individual or tribal property rights.” But, immediately the question arises, have the educational privileges offered the Indians since the United States took them over as its wards been such as would fit them for citizenship? Everyone knows that under Spanish rule the mission schools directed by the padres did excellent civilizing work and that under Mexican independence these schools were less well supported. The United States assumed control in 1846, twenty-two years later. In 1868 the commissioner reports that “there is not a single school nor mechanical shop” in existence, that parish priests who formerly resided in the pueblos have “long since given up any such ideas,” and that there are no government farmers: in short, that the Indians “have been steadily retrograding” since they became the wards of the United States—a melancholy statement indeed! In 1872 the report states that the Indians have been granted 439,664 acres of land, and that there are five schools conducted to teach the children the English language. In 1920, three fourths of all Indian children are said to be in school where their studies are “pre-vocational and vocational with an elimination of needless studies.” “The increased attendance of Indian children in state and in public schools will eventually take them out of Government Indian day and boarding schools.”