The Glacier reporter. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1953-current, 1961-10-26
From The SideIines
BY Tiff Mckay

column of personal comments on
happenings of interest.
The summer season was as good
to the Junction Drive Inn as
could be expected. One signifi-
can't trend seemed to harden a
bit last year - the great Ameri-
can motoring public seems to be
changing their eating habits
while on the road. Three or four
years ago a lunch at a roadside
picnic table was an event to be
planned for-something to break
the monotony of the long days
drive. Now il seems to be way
of life. with a stop at a roadside
cafe the special event.
Last year, when the Browning
Lions Club first set up the pic
mic tables across the road from
me on the grounds of the Mu-
scum of the Plains Indian, the
first strong north wind would
bring over a collection of mon
oprammed napkins, or an occa-
sionaI embroidered table cloth.
This year, however, it was diff
ferent. With the first wind we
accumulated a collection of cred
IL cards issued by oil companies,
hotels. and the like. But most OF
them were issued by the Diners
Club or some guy named Carte
Blanche.
amt complaining, though. We
had a good season-Sold a few
hamburgers, and met a lot OF
good people.
This was quite an eventful
summer. II was the second dry
year in a row for this area. More
than 400 fire fighters from the
Blackfeet reservation were out
on the fire line most of July and
August. Luckily, no fires hit our
local stand of timber; so our val
liable watershed remains intact.
Now all we need is a lot of snow
to provide the much-needed mois-
ture reserve. II we don't get it,
and IL next year is as hot and
dry as the last two, We may be
in for real trouble. The reser-
walton irrigation system operated
at full capacity most of the sum-
mer, and everyone had all the
irrigation water needed; but an
other dry year might create a
greater demand for water than
the system can furnish.
Also during the summer, we
got a new Commissioner of Indian
Affairs - Philleo Nash. His Sc
lection, I think, was a good one.
Nash has had many years ex-
perience in public service, in
GLIDING a term as Lieutenant
Governor of Wisconsin and as an
advisor on Indian affairs in the
Truman Administration. OF
course, his record as Commission
er will not be judged on past
performance. He must demon.
strate, through positive action,
his ability to put into effect the
basically sound programs for bet
terment of conditions OF the
American Indian announced by
President Kennedy and Interior
Secretary Udall.
One of the hottest topics of
discussion which developed dur
ing the summer is a proposal for
the storage of atomic waste under
ground within the Blackfeet Res
ervation. This proposal was made
by the Petroleum Research Cor
poration of Denver, Colorado, an
independent organization. Con
trary to some popular opinions,
this proposal was not made by
the u. S. government or any
member of Congress. Petroleum
Research Corporation PRC) is
not connected with the Federal
Government in any way. ! hope
to bring you, in this column, a
full discussion Of the proposal
as the weeks 60 by. So watch for
ii.
| also intend TO present a full
discussion of the controversy in
volving the wrongful removal OF
some 100000 worth of oil be-
longing to the Blackfeet Tribe.
This matter has been pending
for two years, and still the op-
orators who have removed this
oil have not made an offer OF
reasonable settlement of dam
ages to the Blackfeet Tribe.
! see where Governor Nutter
has refused to proclaim United
Nations Day in Montana. His rea-
son for not doing this is rather
weird. He says that as all nations
have one vote in the u. ~, a
minority is governing the or
ganization; as the smaller coun-
tries have less population, but
the same votes. This organization
is set up much the same as the
U. S. Senate or the Montana Sen.
ate, with each state and county
getting the same number OF SEN
ators regardless of population.
Don't tell me that Nutter thinks
the u. S. Senate and the Mon