The Glacier reporter. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1953-current, 1953-09-04
NEW INDIAN LAWS
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to, them. Eventually Secretary
Mckay and Assistant Secretary
Orme Lewis insisted that the In.
dian Bureau stop opposing these
bills. Senator Barry Goldwater
of Arizona was particularly help.
full in pushing these bills to final
passage.
AS Indian study of the strategy
of this successful campaign they
will learn what steps can be tax.
en- and where aid can be secured
to bring other legal campaigns to
a successful conclusion. And
those Indians who enjoy the ben
efits of this campaign without
having played any active part in
it should realize how much they
owe to the energy of the more
progressive tribal ccouncils that
spark-plugged this campaign.
For the future, there remains
the question whether this victory
will be a permanent one. In
dians must remember that the
problem of drunkenness is one
that the white man has been un
able to solve completely after
thousands of years of experience
The task of the Indian, who has
until now been prevented from
handling the problem in an or
derby fashion, is a much more
difficult one.
Indians will know that they
will be under public scrutiny. Il
they want to hold fast to theil
gains and prevent a reversal
they will either have to prove
they do not drink, or if they do
they will do so in moderation
They will have to demonstrate
that persons with anti-Indianprej
udices who predict sprees Of
drukenness, disorder and crime
are wrong.
This means that all Indians
and especially tribal councils
must carefully consider how the
liquor problem on each reserva
ton ought to be handled. Each
council that tackles this problem
will want to give it the best o,
Indian thought, and also to ge
the best help it can from medica
experts, law enforcement officer!
and other trustworthy advisers
In part, the problem is a lega
one, which may require specia
ordinances or special arrange
ments with state or Federal Law
enforcement agencies. In par
the problem is one of education
! Now that it will no longer bt
necessary to "kill the evidence
it is to be hoped that those wht
| have previously been unable t.
do so will now learn to drink il
/ moderation. This may be an in
dividual problem, but each com
munity must help it's members tt
solve it.
Repeal of discriminatory law
leaves a number of discrimina
tory state laws and constitutional
provisions on the books. 1t ma,
be commended, as a matter of con
stitutional law, that such statt
determinations became unconsti
tutional when Congress repealed
similar laws, just as it has beer
held that state discrimination
against Indian voters became un
constitutional when Congress!
made all Indians citizens. Pos
sibly opinions may be rendered
by state attorney generals on thi.
question. On tn other hand, cam
paigns may be started by inter
ested Indian tribes and theil
friends to repeal discriminatory
state laws at the next sessions o.
the various state legislatures, OF
through state referendum pro
ceedures. In these campaign.
cedures. In these campaign.
fence gained in the successful ma
tional campaign. Indians should
have a clearer understanding
than ever before of the practical.
realities of legislation, of the
sources from which help may be
obtained, and of the advantages
of inter-tribal cooperation in &
c0mm0n cannnaion