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National Indian Congress Re-Elect Top Officers  1947

SANTA FE, Dec. 6 (AP)-The National Congress of American Indians adjourned its fourth annual convention today after re-electing its top officers and naming a special committee to consider proposals for reorganizing the U. S. Indian Service.
The convention unanimously approved its nominating committee's recommendations, re-electing as president District Judge N. B. Johnson, a Cherokee from Claremore, Okla.  Also re-elected were Vice-President Edward L. Rogers, a Chippewa from Walker County attorney in Minnesota, and Executive Secretary Ruth M. Bronson of Washington, D. C. a Cherokee.
Other officers elected were treasurer, Andrew Williams of Claremore, Okla., another Cherokee and Clerk of Judge Johnson's 12th Judicial District Court.
The convention left to the executive council the choice of a 1948 convention city.
To draft a plan by Feb. 1 to submit to the Executive Council

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Indian Congress Prepares to Act on Vital Issues
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blame on the federal government and the Indian Bureau.

Asks Consultation
Akeah also proposed that Navajo leaders be consulted before presentation of the proposed $80,000,000 ten-year program to Congress, that the tribe have a greater voice in selecting local Indian Service officials, and that they be permitted to examine and recommend on the annual Navajo Agency budget.
The Indian vote question came up at a general discussion period during which association President N. B. Johnson of Claremore, Okla., said the group is "extremely interested" in the refusal of New Mexico and Arizona officials to extend the franchise to tribesmen.

Need Leaders
Another speaker said that "if New Mexico and Arizona Indians has been able to vote, Congress would not have dared let the Navajos get into their present plight."
Miss Elma Smith, Navajo Indian and a teacher at the Ganado, Arizona Mission, described an "urgent need for educated leaders to lead our people out of this mess to take their place in society."
"The Navajo is not a museum piece."  Miss Smith said. "He should be given his liberty from the prisoner of war status he has held 80 years after the final treaty was signed."
A demand for a complete over haul and reorganization of the Indian Service was made by Mrs. Ruth Kirk of Gallup, noted expert on Indian affairs, and chairman of the Indian welfare committee of the general federation of women's clubs.
The plan was expected to be referred following tonight's meeting to a committee, which either will study the proposals until next year's meeting, or submit it for action at closing sessions tomorrow.
"You could have fired all the inefficient and indifferent people now in the Indian Service and still not correct the evil," Mrs. Kirk said. "It's the system itself that is wrong."
Describing the present Indian Service as "archaic" and endowed with "too much power and authority for our Democratic way of life."  Mrs. Kirk said some sort of Indian office is necessary, but that vitally needed are continuing policies, Indian participation, authority at reservation level, separate budgets for each agency, and weeding out of personnel at the "top" of the service structure.