The Glacier reporter. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1953-current, 1953-10-16

report on the operation of the
Tribal Council, and introduced
various records of the proceed
ings of meeting and financial
transactions of the organization,
together with certain resolutions
that had been passed in the Coun-
Gil in making certain recommen-
dations as to policy and measur-
es designed to aid members of
the tribe.
The submission of this report
consumed considerable time, and
then Tiff Mckay, secretary of the
council, submitted supplementary
data asked for by the committee.
Kennerly was then called back
for cross-eXamination, and much
of the afternoon was taken up
with the thorough grilling by the
committee of the Council chair
man on administrative procedur-
es, particularly as to how loans
of the Tribal funds had been
handled, to whom they had been
made, and how many had been
paid off, and how many were de-
linquent, etc.
The committee was we'll forti-
fled with records of Council pro-
ceedings, and put into the hear
ing proceedings records of many
loans that were not in good or
der, particularly loans made to
officers and members of the
Council.
Following this phase of the
hearing, several witnesses we're
called to testify as to conditions
on the reservation, many of whom
made strong protests about the
way their interests had been
handled both by the government
Indian bureau and the Tribal
Council. 1t mostly simmered
down to a statement to the eff.
feet that the Indians themselves
were getting little direct benefit
from the large sums of money
spent by the government in their
behalf.
No witnesses were called from
the local Indian Agency staff, and
little or no reference was made
to the proposed new policy of the
government to terminate the
ward status of the Indians. The
chairman. Mr. Harrison, did men,
ton in speaking of the changes
of policy that it would probably
be long time before any final
action is taken by Congress, and
assured the Indian people that
it was the intention of the gov
eminent to adopt the best pos
sible program for the welfare of
the Indian people.
The whole proceeding was a
distinct disappointment to most
of the people in attendance. who
had expected something con-
structive at least in the way of
suggestions. to come from the
hearing.
1t was the generally expressed
opinion, after the meeting, that
the hearing was similar in pur.
pose and results from most pre-
Vious hearings of its kind, which
usually ends in serving no useful
purpose.
Only three members of the
committee were present when the
hearing opened here, Chairman
Harrison of Wyoming, Congress-
man Wesley D'Ewart of Montana
and Congressman Wayne NJ. AS
pinall, of South Carolina. Before
the meeting was over Rep. Ber-
ry of South Dakota, arrived and
took part in the latter portion of
the hearing
The committee is making its
trip through the northwest by air
plane and landed at the airport
in Cut Bank. They were enter
tanned by the Cut Bank Chomber
of Commerce at noon luncheon
and were brought to Browning
just in time for the hearing. They
returned to Cut Bank after the
hearing, and are scheduled to Wis
it Glacier Park Thursday. have a
quick look at Hungry Horse dam
and be entertained at meeting
in kalispell Thursday night, and
. then make a visit to the Flathead
reservation Friday.