The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1956-08-17

of the Interior said, g. the relocation pro
gram of the Bureau of Indian Affairs is purely
voluntary, and Indians are assisted financially
to move to a new location and to obtain houS-
ing and to make other adjustments during
their initial period in a new community These
communities would not agree that the Indians
who have moved under the plans of the Blu
reau have created a financial burden. There
has not been single complaint on this score
from the communities"
In a series of articles in Harper's Magazine,
however, we find this, For every success
story there are a hundred failures. For every
former trapper-farmer now adjusted to as
sembly-line work and city life, there are 80
adrift in a new and hostile environment ="
Of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the articles
comment, "The craftsmanship rates an plus
but what about the product"
The relocation program has caused hundreds
of Indians to leave the reservation without the
benefits of the program their own-but
above and beyond that, has it, like 50 many
other programs that were supposed to benefit
the Indian, been an attempt to accomplish too
much with too little money?
dian health which is serious wherever he
lives. This is borne out by figures presented
by DIR. C. D. Carlyle Thompson, executive
officer of the State Board of Health. DR..
Thompson says Montana's Indian Reser-
vations are located in 8 Montana counties
and though the Indian comprises 1870 of
the population, he causes 91% of the health
problem.
DR.. Paul R. Ensign, director of the State
Board of Health Division of Disease Control,
said Montana's Indian population has "1O-13
times the amount of tuberculosis that exists
in the general population"
At a recent Montana Health Planning Coun-
Gil meeting it was pointed out that poor and
crowded houses are one of the major problems
on the Blackfeet Reservation AS a result,
trachoma, tuberculosis and other contagious
diseases rage. Also it was brought out that
tuberculosis beds at the state hospital at
Galen do little good if something is not done
to prevent the spread of the disease in the
home
Recently the Public Health Services took
over Indian health from the Bureau of Indian
Affairs. The PHS has already received $500
increase in appropriation from the Congress
to carry on this work and eventually expects
a 1867 increase. The PHS is making contracts
for Indian medical care with doctors and hos
pitfalls in an attempt to give Indians a free
choice in the matter of where they 90 for
medical care. Contracts are based on a stand
ard fee schedule. This new program is more
costly, but at the same time the Indians will
receive better medical care. Eligibility for
this care is being stretched to try and cope
with the mobile life of Indians trying to es-
tablish themselves away from the reservation.
Physical health care, alone is not enough.
The Indian dependency becomes a mental i'll
ness His mental illness drives him to drink
It increases his fear and suspicion. His mental
condition is not only caused by his Illness
out it is caused by his never-ending depressed
condition never any job security . +. +. never
enough food never decent place to Live
never acceptance never enough clothes
20 wear e. :. never quite warm enough in winter
never never -. never. And the pres
lures, continually nagging at him. Pressures
o leave the reservation, and the only life he
AN understand in any measure-pressures
o stay in surroundings he knows, on his