The Glacier reporter. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1953-current, 1953-08-21
Indian Policy Outlined
BY Assistant Secretary

The following address was re
Gently delivered by Orme Lewis
at Gallup, New Mexico:
Because this is my first public
address on the subject of Indian
affairs sine Joined the Depart.
ment of the Interior last January
it is appropriate that am able
to make it in this community of
Gallup and in connection with
the Gallup Ceremonial.
Gathered here in the heart of
the southwestern Indian territory
are representatives of tribal
groups from all over the western
United States. For the next sew.
eral days we will participate in
one of the most colorful and en-.
joyable exhibits of native Amer.
lean culture Gallup has every
reason to be proud of the annual
Ceremonial which has gradually
achieved an impressive nation.
wide reputation.
l am glad also to be in Gallup
because it is the home commun.
ity of Glenn L.Emmons, the new
Commissioner of Indian Affairs,
who took the oath of office in
Washington Monday just before
| left there. While it is early to
be talking about Mr.. Emmons'
achievements as Commissioner,
l am sure he will soon demon
strate a sympathetic understand
ing of the problems which face
our Indian people and work to-
ward their solution with the same
vigor that has marked his career
as BUSINESS executive and COM
munity leader
leader.
Commissioner Emmons was
chosen after consultation with
Indian leaders representing more
than 10 different tribal groups
and after careful study of several
other excellent candidates whose
names were suggested. In his
career in Gallup we found the
qualities which | believe are re-
quired for the important job as
head of the Bureau. l want you
to know that he has the full sup
not only of Secretary Mckay and
myself, but also of President
Eisenhower as hetakes over his
new responsibilities. | trust
that the Indian people and those
who are interested in their well
fare will lend their support to
Commissioner Emmons in the
difficult task ahead.
| can assure you that your CO.
operation will be welcome and
will prove fruitful to the Indians.
My major purpose in coming
here is to discuss with you the
policy of the Administration in
the field OF Indian affairs.
Last March, following dis
cussion which | had with the
chairman of Indian affairs sub
COMMITTEES of the House and SEN
ate, | wrote a letter to the chair
man of the Senate committee,
Senator Arthur V. Watkins, and
and Congressman William II.
Harrison, outlining the Depart
ment's basic policy on Indian af-
fairs which had been agreed upon
by Secretary Mckay and myself.
The key paragraph of that letter
was as follows:
Federal responsibility for adj
the affairs of individ-
ual Indian tribes should be term
mated as soon as rapidly as the
of each tribe will
permit. This should be accom-
plished by arrangements with the
proper public bodies of the po-
liticcal sub divisions to assume re
sponSibility for the services Gus
tomarily enjoyed by the non-In-
dian residents of such political
and by distribution
of tribal assets to the tribes as a
unit or by division Of the tribal
assets among the individual mcm-
bers, whichever may appear to
be the better plan in each case.
In addition, responsibility for
trust properties should be trans
ferrcd to the Indians themselves
either as groups or individuals,
IS soon as feasible"
In that paragraph we covered
a lot of territory in compare
lively few words. | am grateful
for this opportunity to explain
fully what we are trying to &C.
complish and how we are going
about it.
We are faced with an unusually
complex set of relationships be-