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the Governor dispatched me to the Salt Lake City meeting as his representative. As such I voted, along with all the other delegates, to establish a permanent organization titled, as you know, the Interstate Indian Council.

I think it is significant that the membership of that Council is evenly divided between Indians and whites. This fact demonstrates a very basic fundamental to ultimate success in solving the problems facing both, and emphasizes that these problems are of mutual concern and can be attacked successfully only by cooperative teamwork between the white man and the Indian.

I offer this Convention one suggestion: simply that we cease and desist from referring to "the Indian problem."  Too often in referring to "problems," we envisage the problem child; the term has an evil connotation. A far better term, I think, is "Indian affairs," for it is not the Indian alone who is concerned nor is it the white man who has the so-called problem. Indian affairs truly are a matter of joint interest and it is only by joint effort that situations that have developed over one hundred and twenty-five years can be dealt with for the betterment of all. I think that the Governors' Interstate Indian Council can point with considerable pride to the progress made in Salt Lake City and subsequently. This Council is now a permanent organization with eight active committees exploring the ten most pressing Indian concerns, and preparing to make recommendations to the Council for action at its third meeting this fall. Governor Langlie has told me that if it is at all possible, he will attend that meeting.

Speaking of the Governor's interest in Indian affairs, reminds me of the story that is attributed to Calvin Coolidge during his term as President. It seems that one of his Vermont neighbors called on him at the White House and explained that he was in a terrible hold, and went on to enumerate his various difficulties at great length. When he was through, the President said, "Neighbor, you are certainly in a hole. I will do everything I can to try and get you out, but if I can't get you out, the least I can do is to crawl in with you."

In many aspects Washington has been an experimental or pilot state for the whole country. This is particularly true in my Department, the Welfare Department, in the last two years. I would have hoped that Washington could have been the pilot state in dealing with Indian affairs. However, it appears that in this respect Minnesota is leading the way, with its establishment of its Indian Affairs Committee. I understand further the by the direction of the Minnesota Legislature, the Legislative Research Committee made a complete factual study of Minnesota's Indian population. You will hear more about this from Mr. Lairfallom.

Of one thing we can be certain, there will be no lack of leadership in any such movement in this state, as long as we have Indian leadership of the caliber provided by Frank George, Washington's Indian

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