The Glacier reporter. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1953-current, 1954-05-28

Of some Of the individual case
histories. l personally anticipate
that there will be an increasing
interest in relocation, particular.
~ among the younger reServa.
ton Indians. as the advantages
become better known and the re.
hirtanrc to leave familiar sur.
ruundingS is gradually overcome
In some areas. where the posi-.
hll,,icS for local economic dcvel.
opncnt are practically non.cxist.
rn,. relocation may we'll prove
~ be the only feasible answer to
the problem.
Nevertheless. We must recog.
n!1r. | believe. that large mum.
hrrS Of the Indian people will
always prefer to remain in their
home areas and that their pref.
crcnrcS in this matter should and
mast be respected So it is cru.
>lally important. in my judgment.
~ round out the cycle Of eco.
ncmic opportunity by providing
the Indian people. wherever pos.
>lblc. with much wider range
OF employment than they now
have within reasonable commut.
ing distance Of their homes. AS
suggested earlier. there are to.
day very few industries or other
payroll enterprises of the non.
agricultural type in the perimeter
areas around most Indian reser.
va,!onS. Yet am convinced. as
a banker. that there are many
promising opportunities for add.
tional economic development in
these areas which could be foSt.
cred and encouraged if We had
some sound economic survey data
showing just what the possibil.
. tiles are and where they exist.
q In this connection l want to
emphasize a principle which I
regard as fundamentally import.
an, in the field Of Indian affairs
today Because the job of help.
ing the Indian people along the
avenue Of economic and social
progress is such tremendous un.
dertakine with so many different
aspects. have no illusions what.
ever that it can or should be en-.
tirely accomplished by the Bur.
eau of Indian Affairs. In fact. I
believe that it is essential for
US to enlist the support. the co.
operation. and the active partici.
patton Of private organizations
wherever feasible and to the full.
est possible extent.
For this reason l have been
trying over the past several
months to interest some of the
countrys outstanding private
foundations in the economic sur.
vey job which l believe would
be so broadly beneficial to the
population on Indian reserva.
tons. Although the foundations
are generally not equipped to
conduct such studies through
their own organizations. l have
found their representatives keen.
~ aware of the possibilities in.
herent in this project and | am
now quite optimistic tina, foun.
dation financing will soon be pro.
vided. Before the project can &C.
tually be launched. however. one
additional step must be complet.
ed. This is the formation Of a
three.man. nonprofit corporation
which would receive the grants
from foundations and make the
arrangements for having the sur.
veys conducted by organizations
specializing in this type of work.
Two of the country's outstanding
businessmen have already agreed
to serve on this corporation -
Mr.. Lawrence F. Lee. immediate
past president OF the United Stat.
es Chamber Of Commerce. and
Mr.. David Beals. president Of the
Interstate National Bank Of Kan.
sas City. Missouri ! have every
expectation that they will shortly
be joined by a third member. a
man OF equal prominence and
prestige. and that the project will