The Glacier reporter. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1953-current, 1953-08-28

tas, and vice versa. The fact is
that we now have a good deal of
variation in the degree or depth
of Federal administration of trib-
al affairs. In some cases Federal
supervision over tribal affairs is
comparatively light and many i'm
portant decisionsportant decis-
ions affecting the economic vel
fare of the group are made by the
Indians themselves. That is a
desirable situation and works
well. At the other extreme, we
have tribes almost wholly Deepen
dent on Federal supervision with
the Bureau of Indian Affairs act
ing as trustee. but also as man.
ager of the tribal resources. Be-
tween these two extremes there
are many important gradations.
These differences obviously
must be considered in determin-
ing just when Federal response
bility can be terminated for any
particular tribe. The economic
maturity of any tribal group and
its demonstrated capacity for
managing it's own affairs, as well
as the prospects for achieving
self-sufficiency must be carefully
considered before any determi-
nation is made.
Certainly it would make little
sense for the Federal government
to walk out abruptly on an Indian
tribe without realistic study of all
factors of this kind which are in
volved. l want to assure you
that we have no intention of TAX
ing or recommending any such
action.
In any transition effort another
factor must be recognized, and
that is we must not postpone the
day of full freedom and indepen-
dence for an Indian tribe because
some individual members are not
ready to assume the responsible
tiles that necessarily 60 with the
new status. Obviously, there
are differences in capacity for
economic self-sufficiency among
Indians as there are among the
non-Indians. If we wait until
every last member of a particular
tribe has demonstrated his abil.
ity to earn a livelihood or to man.
age his own resources before ter,
minating Federal supervision, !
fear we shall be in the business
of Indian administration for a
great many years to come. Be,
cause of this l believe we must
keep on pressing for the earliest
feasible termination date and
that we should resolve our doubts
generally in favor of Indian free,
dom rather than Federal pattern,
alism. Clearly, the Indians nev.
er will learn to manage their own
affairs and to exercise the full
prerogatives of American citizen.
ship unless they are given the OPP.
portunity. In the meantime we
must of ccourse make every eff
fort to assist in establishing a
sound economy for each tribe in
order that the day of freedom
may be more promptly reached.
In our statment of policy we
also mentioned that arrange
ments should be made with the
State and local governments to
guarantee that the Indians will
receive from these subdivisions
services customarily provided to
non-Indian residents. These SER
vices include education for the
young, public health protection,
law enforcement, welfare aid for
J the needy, agricultural extension
and home demonstration serv-
vices, maintenance of roads, and
several others. The Bureau of
Indian Affairs has provided these
services with about two-thirds of
all the Bureaus employees now
engaged in health, education and
and welfore work alone. These
services also account for SIM
ilarilar proportion of the Blu
reau's total budget. | believe
there is no dispute about the ur-
gent necessity for Indians to re-
ceive such services. In fact they
need a great deal more such SER
vices than the Bureau has ever
been able to privide with avail
able funds and limited personnel
In many cases educational and
health assistance are more press.
ing for Indians than other racial
groups.
| Co mn ~1N1I.v l-,,- x...-