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MR. KENOTE: In connection with the talk with respect to the Secretary denying a Government employee membership in an organization, they are saying here that you can't be an employee of the Government and hold an elective position on the Council. I feel that if we adopt this resolution we are confirming the belief of the Indian Office and the Interior Department that Indians cannot be employees of the Government and enjoy elective offices and be members of the organization.

MR. BEAVER: I should like to say as I understand it by the Constitution, the gentlemen who are in the Government service are eligible to be members of this organization. You gave them that right and I understand that just awhile ago you passed a resolution asking Congress and the Department to recognize their rights, so I believe it is a matter that can be clarified. Maybe it just needs a regulation. It seems that this can be rectified without any trouble. If you are asking Congress to recognize these men's rights, then we are on the way.

MR. PHINNEY: I am one of the several boys who are branded Indian Service. I came to Denver as an Indian. I didn't come here to ask any of you people how you make a living. I think from whatever capacity I have here that I would cherish a membership in this organization that is diluted. I talked with the Commissioner of Indian Affairs several months ago about the status of the employees of the Indian Service, not officially but in a personal conversation. He told me he believe that the Indian employees of the Government should not be compromised in any sense whatsoever, that they should not express any governmental loyalty. If they became members of this organization, they should think and act as Indians one hundred per cent. 

MR. WHISTLER: I never was a Governmental employee of the Indian Service. I think it would be a great mistake  to mention the fact in there and sort of give him a diluted membership. It strikes me that if this organization does not want to put a governmental employee in a position, then when their name is brought up for and what to elect them to office, you have the same privilege. But make them full 1 members of this organization and not half members of this organization. 

MR. ROGERS: just a few words I want to say. At the meetings in Chicago, I happened to be present and most of the Indians there were Governmental employees and the first thing I heard I heard there was that they are scared to have anything to do or take part in this organization. They are afraid of their jobs and when it came to the election of officers non of the employees wanted to take any office. that left only Ben Dwight and myself, so they elected Mark Burns as Chairman. I want to call this to your attention. You just passed Resolution No. (3). You want Section 12 of the Indian Reorganization Act put into effect. You want some of your Indian members given some of these Government jobs. Let us work on that and if we work on that and if we work conscientiously and wholeheartedly in unity for that purpose why can't we have the Indian Service composed of more Indians. A lot of you people here say we can't have and we shouldn't have Indian employees occupying one of these elective positions. I think this is a mistake. I am against this resolution. Here we want to restrict our Indian people. 

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