The Glacier reporter. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1953-current, 1953-11-13
Commissioner Glenn M. Emmons Outlines
Governments Proposed New Indian POLICY

Following is the second Install
ment of the address delivered by
commissioner of Indian Affairs
Glenn M. Emmons, delivered at
a recent meeting with members
nj the Blackfeet Tribe in Brown
ing:
Like the president, 1 have no
sympathy whatever for what is
sometimes called second class
citizenship" 1 believe that dis
elimination has no place in
country such as ours and that we
should combat it vigorously wher-
ever we discover it being prac-
ticed. Like all other friends of
the Indians, 1 was particularly
pleased by the action taken by
the Congress, just before the re-
cent adjournment, in wiping off
the books or modifying a series
of laws which have been for many
wears a form of discrimination
against the Indian people. This &C
ton is the best proof you could
possibly have that the overwhelm-
Ing majority of Americans every
where want their fellow citizens
of Indian extraction to have the
same rights and privileges which
they themselves enjoy. And am
confident that this goal will be
achieved. While 1 know that we
still have cases of discrimination
against Indians in certain local.
ties here and there, 1 feel GER
tain that this pattern is rapidly
disappearing and that in few
years we shall wipe it out alto
gether.
As l look forward to the job
that lies ahead of me in the Bur
eau of Indian Affairs, l realize
that the path will be difficult and
that there will be many pitfalls.
| hope that 1 can avoid most Of
these but l shall obviously be
feeling my way along with care
at least for the next several
months. During this period | am
not going to pretend that | know
all the answers - or even all the
questions. But l shall be trying
hard to learn and l trust that you
will be tolerant with me during
my apprenticeship. Just as want
to know first-hand about your
problems, l hope that you will
have a sympathetic understand
ing of the type of problems which
shall have to face, especially in
the next few months.
Some of the broad outlines of
Indian policy, of course, have
been pretty we'll established.
What we are trying to achieve c5-
sentially, as l see it. is 4 condi-
ton of parity or equality for the
Indian people as compared with
the rest of the population. This
does not mean that we are cx-
pecting Idians to give UP their
own culture and be just like ev-
eryone else. But it does mean that
we want to give the Indians the
same opportunities for advance
ment - the same freedom and
responsibility in the management
of their properties - as other
Amnricor cifi1nnc
say this with a keen reaiiZa
ton of the many broad differ
cnces among the Indian tribal
groups which l have already en-
phasized. l know that there are
some tribes which arc ready and
anxious to take over full respon-
sibility for their own affairs at
the earliest possible time and that
others will have to move along TO-
ward that objective much more
slowly and gradually l sincerely
hope that the day will come when
it is no longer necessary for the
federal government to serve as a
trustee for the property Of any
Individual Indians or Indian trib-
al groups. But I recognize that in
many areas there is a real need
for continuation of the trustee
ship and will be for several years.
While l cannot, of course, guar
antee that your government will
always accept your recommends
tons on the termination of trus-
teeship, I can and do pledge that
each tribal group will be fully
consulted by the Bureau of In
dian Affairs before we take any
final action in recommending
termination program to the con-
gress. In some cases we shall pro-
badly not be making any such re-
concentrations for many years to
come.
In the meantime, however, we
shall be continuing our efforts to
transfer our service responsible
ties in the field of health, educa-
ton, welfare and similar fields
wherever possible to the agencies
which normally provide these SER
vices for other citizens. l am
greatly encouraged by the pro-
gress which has been made in
placing Indian children in the