Montana labor news., 1948-04-22

people who are doomed to a
slow death from the same dis
ease. unless they receive hos
pitali2ation and treatment.
These people for whom |
speak, are not enemies of the
last war. nor are they among
the bombed-out and homeless Of Eur
ope and Asia. They are residents of
my own state OF Montana; with their
SOM and daughters. they have served
h%onorably in the last two wars. their
first and only love has long been
America. Only two things set them
apart from other men. They are In
dians-real AmericanS-and because
of this. they have long been neg
lected. they suffer from tuberculosis,
and because OF this. the neglect has
become a double injury.
Congress has already passed HR
2793 providing facilities for the treat
ment of tuberculer Indians in Mon
tana: under Public Law 332 congress
is authorized TO appropriate 81 1900, 900
to carry out this project. | am here
today to point out some Of the factors
which make This appropriation neces-
sary and urgent.
Last year the conscience Of America
was touched by the horrible plight
which faced the Navajo Indians of
the southwest. Although | shall not
dwell upon that subject, | would like
to point out that much of the poverty
and abandonment which the Navajos
know is also prevalent amongst the
Indians in the Northwest. and particu-
desire that permanent and long range
measures be adopted to remedy such
conditions wherever they exist. All
my energies and abilities will be d.
rected towards this end. But the
matter here confronting us is one that
demands immediate action. Time is
Of the essence. when death and dis.
ease must be met.
Briefly the facts to be considered
are these. The drive OF a westward
moving civilization forced the Ameri-
can Indian to seek refuge on the res
ervations which the government OF
the United States set aside for him.
Under the various treaties with the
Indian Nations, the federal govern
ment assumed the responsibility of
providing for their medical attention.
Because OF this they must look to the
federal government alone for their
disqualification. How we'll our gov
eminent has met its duty / leave for
you TO Judge.
At present IN Montana approx
mately 10000 Indians still live on
seven Indian reservations, and are
technically still wards Of the govern
ment. OF that number, in February
Of 1918, there were 293 known active
cases Of tuberculosis, thirty-seven of
whom were hospitalized. The rest
were living at home, receiving little
or on treatment, and spreading the
fatal contagion among their friends
and relatives.
The 81 who received disqualification
were spread out over a wide area.
The state of Montana. although under
no duty to do so. has made provisions
to treat a maximum of ten Indians
at the state tuberculosis sanitarium
at Galen. Montana. but a non-lndian
sufferer is given preference. and II
seldom occurs that all ten beds. or
ven half of them are used for Indian
treatment. Those Indians not cared
for at Galen must go to the Indian
Service s~anitarium at Rapid City,
South Dakota, or to the Tacoma
Washington. But here the prefer.
ence is given to local Indians. there
is always a shortage of beds; funds
are not always available for trans
portation. and, in some cases, the
Indian who has an Unborn dread OF
travel would rather forego treatment
than embark on a long journey. In
February OF this year the hospitalized
Montana Indians were receiving treat