The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-07-23
CLAIM ON U. s. ! ASKS I MILLION
 FOR CHOCTAWS
Mississippi In P e etitiOn Charges Faith Broken
 By Washington

Jackson, Miss, July g - Some palefaces high in the government of Mississippi have taken action in washington to claim $4,O00OO0 for the states Choctaw Indians.
 Representative Ross Collins and Attorney General Greek L. Rice say that amount is due the Indians from the Federal Government for the breaking of treaty obligations and "the gross wrongs of . century ago"
 Representative Collins drafted a bill which would confer jurlsdiction of the Court of Claims to deter~ mine the claims. The attorney gen- eral has filed brief in behalf of the bill. @
 Some of the claims are to com- pensate for the governments failure to grant the Choctaws tine lands to which they were entitled by the Treay of Dancing Rabbit Creek, signed on September q, 1880. Other claims involve the value of scrip and interest in property of the Choctaw Nation said to be due the Indians under several acts of Con- gress and treaties between the Uni- ted States and the Choctaw Na- ton.
 Broken Pledges Alleged
 Full of bitter and authenticated reports of broken pledges, the at- torney generals brief charges ofn- cials with bertayals of these "illit- crate and trustful people" who depended largely upon the white man for Q guidance in their rela- ton to each other.
 Repeatedly = the brief charges the Choctaws were assured in for nal treaties they would never again be aske dto give up more of their lands, that they could govern themselves without inolestation from the state. The treaty signed at Doak's stand (which contained such prornises) pledged that "the agreement will endure as long as the waters run, the trees grow and the sun shines"
 Historical documents are quoted in the brief to show coercion of the Choctaws into signing the Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek in Noxubee county and subsequent violation of the pact by the whites.
 One of the treaty's clauses pro- vided that the United States would supervise removal of the Indians to their new homes.
 Story Of Starvation Told
 The brief quotes eyewitnesses ac- counts of suffering, starvation and death among the Choctaws trying to reach their new western homes. It charges the government with shameful negligence" in its obli- gation to transport the Indians from Mississippi.
 Who would get the claim money if the action is successful? It would go to the "Choctaws of the State of Mississippi" who are de- fined by the bill to include "re- serves under the Treaty of Sep tember 27. 1880 (Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek), and their descen- dants; those persons who on July 1. 1902, were residents in Missis- sippi. Alabama, and Louisiana, having not less than one-eightb Choctaw Indian blood, and their descendants and such persons as were thereafter Identified on any approved roll of Mississippi Choc- taws and their descendants, and shall not include any persons who were enrolled on the final citizen. ship rolls of the Choctaw Nation in Oklahoma"
 Referring to legal technicalities advanced by [ he U. s. attorney general, the brief said. This Is g subject in which cold legal rule and definitions of rights, accord. ing to American legal standards, should not prevail, but 1t is the hig moral duty imposed upon the United States Government to Sc justice to these Choctaw Indians"