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10 Ben Dwight announced a 15 minute recess, and that further discussion of Indian Claims Commission bill would follow, after recess. Meeting again opened with Wm Firetunder presiding as Chariman [[Chairman]], in place of Judge Johnson. Cohen read a letter from somebody. Cohen said that he could not give the procedure of a tribe to present a claims bill in court because of a Federal regulation. Luke Gilbert asked Mr. Cohen to discuss Section 11 of the bill. Cohen suggested that Mr. Wright answer the questions. Mr. Wright: The Commission itself shall set up an investigating Commission. Fist, do not make a mistake in the first case and thereby injure chance of future claims. .Attorney for the tribe will be selected according to the wishes of the people. How would a moral case be prepared and presented to the Commission? Mr. Wright: If you have already presented your case, then it is stuck there. If the matter is based upon a legal right, it is possible that you can work it out. Second, One in the Court of Claims, it stays there and cannot be presented elsewhere. When will Commissionioners [[Commissioners]] be appointed? Mr. Wright: That is up to the President. Probably after Congress convenes. Somelne [[Someone]] asked the approximate amount of claims that they expected to be presented. Cohen said two billion, Wright said from ten million on - won't be more than eight figures. Cohen: Individual Indians can be represented only through their tribe. - When c claim was prepared does not matter. What constitutes a group? Mr. Wright: Any bona fide group, or survivors of a group - there can conceivably be only two or three members of a group. Once you have been in the Court of Claims, you cannot get in again on the same issue or cause of action. Any agreement with an attorney representing the tribe will have to be approved by the Department and the Department wll [[will]] fix the attorney's fee, if you do not have an agreement with the attorney.. A jurisdictional bill or act does not have to be approved. How would a tribe get use of their money for presenting a claim?
