The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1955-12-30
Continued from Page One)


week indicate the problem at tina
time to be as follows: The heads o
six family groups made application
for aid. Three of the five applicant
were accepted for aid; one applican
was referred to the Relocation Office
for employment (this he failed t,
do) 4; one applicant was deferred pend
ing medical information; and one ap
plicant deferred pending outcome 0.
cattle loan application made to the
Tribal Council. Those in charge Of
the Rocky Boy Sub-Agency do not
consider this unusual and know of nc
extreme suffering.
ADMITS FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE
Bureau of Indian Affairs funds
are available in limited amounts to
aid those who are in need and who
do not meet the eligibility require
ments for state categorical assistance.
"The County Welfare and Bureau
of Indian Affairs eligibility require
ments are such that an able bodied
man who refuses to accept employ
ment can not qualify for relief aid.
On Dec. IA and Is, after the pub
lie hearing, applications of Al Rocky
Boy reservation families were ac-
cepted by the Area Office social
worker for the Bureau of Indian AT
fairs. Off-reservation Indians, how
ever, were rejected and they were
given this statement:
Policy-General assistance should
be provided only to needy Indian
families and persons who are not
eligible for public assistance or gen.
eral assistance through programs op-
Grated by their state and county gov
ernments except that general assist
ance may be provided for reason
able time pending establishment of
eligibility for public assistance and
receipt of first payment. Assistance
under the Bureaus program shall |
be limited to otherwise eligible In |
dians residing on reservations.
That is the Bureau of Indian At |
fairs speaking to Indians of policy
originating in Washington, D. c.
Why did it take the Bureau of
Indian Affairs month to learn
there were Al families under it's
supervision in dire need?
1t will be noted in the joint state
ment quoted above that only three
Of five applicants were first accepted
FOR aid, with only one of the appli-
,ants having received aid by Dec. %.
rhe statement also says: "Those in
charge of the Rocky Boy Sub-Agency
10 not consider this unusual and know
# no extreme suffering"
This reaction followed the Hunger
sos on KMON, Dec. IL. But after I
he public hearing, Dec. 10, the Bu- /
eau accepted Al applications for re-
ief. I
INDIANS FEAR RELOCATION"
A reason given by the Bureau for :
ejecting one of the first five appli- :
ants for relief was that he was
eferred to the Relocation Officer" !;
nd the statement says, "this he failed
o do" Those who know the Indians . Q
tolnt to the relocation" matter as :
ignificant. Many Indians fear Gre :
ocation." To them it means leaving :
he reservation and breaking up their =
antilles. 1t means being cut adrift g
rom their people and the land they :
now to go among Indifferent strang- - -
rs and look for jobs they are often =
OF trained to handle. =
Indians are reluctant to seek re- !
lief because they feel they will be :;
offered relocation" as an only al 6.
tentative. =
1t is said that only a few Indians /,
oplied for relief early in Novem- 3,
er. A bit of Indian psychology ex-
aims this situation: 1t is traditional =,
n Indians to transact much of their
lsiness through spokesman. The
dians had interpreted the treat A
ent of the applicants for relief of Df
e first five families as a refusal d;
/ the part of the Bureau. They said M
at "after the five families were CO
fused relief at the Agency that 10
ey were afraid to apply y When !
e Indians elected one of their own NJ
embers, Paul Eagleman, to act as W
okesman, "a families signed up In
.af Il L., L. l.,