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Indians banded themselves together and fought their way to victory. This happened within the memory of all of us here, so I need not go into detail. I am referring, of course, to the successful fight against the Bursum Bill and the effort to take lands away from you. It was much the same situation as that which the Pyramid Lake Indians have been confronted. Out of your struggle the All Pueblo Council was formed which, I may say in passing, was in part the inspiration which led us to form this National Congress of American Indians. 

What the Pueblo Indians did in 1680 and again in the 1920s, the Indians of the United States can do. They must do it. I am not talking of an armed uprising. We meet here in peace. I am talking about unity, of banding together, of staying together, of fighting out our issues together. Let everything else be forgotten of what I have said, if you will. But let that idea and that plea remain in your minds. If we join forces, as the Pueblo Indians of Long ago and again as of yesterday knew how to do, we can accomplish whatever needs to be accomplished in our individual or our group behalf. Unless we join forces, we accomplish nothing. 

This, then, is the theme and the keynote of our meeting here. We stand all together, all for one and one for all. I urge you to keep that in your minds all through our deliberations here. And before we leave I hope we can work the idea out in an appropriate ceremony. 

I conclude my remarks with that and I thank you for allowing me to speak thus to you. 

Judge Johnson introduced James E. Curry, General Counsol of the National Congress of American Indians, who gave a most informative report on his activities as Counsel the past year. He pointed out the importance of Indians fighting for their rights; that whatever they have left today is because they fought for it. That for a while they stood on their laurels and didn't fight much for their rights but that in the organization of the National Congress of American Indians he saw the beginning of a new fight by the Indians and that they had made much progress by the use of new weapons and new ways of doing things; and urged Indians to recognize their capacity to carry forward their program; that as soon as the Indians start a good fight for their rights a lot of good people would rally to their cause; he states that he knew of nothing better to point to as an accomplishment of the Indian Congress than the constant trend of greater respect for Indian rights and that the reason therefore was that in Washington where Indian rights are discussed most there are people there who speak for Indians and who are employees of the Indian, rather than employees of the Government; that one who speaks as a representative of the Indian cause can do so more effectually and with greater force than somebody who is working for the entire government. 

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