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REPORT TO THE SEVENTH ANNUAL CONVENTION OF THE NATIONAL CONGRESS OF AMERICAN INDIANS

James E. Curry, General Council

August 30, 1950

General

It would be impossible, in less than hundreds of pages, to give the delegates to this convention a full report of the work performed by the attorneys for the organization during the past year. The following will serve merely to give the highlights of our activities. More details were given in my oral report of yesterday and further details will be brought our during open discussion on the floor of this convention. 

Area Offices

At the last convention, the NCAI adopted a resolution in opposition to "area offices" of the Indian Service. During the present session, this fight was carried into the Congress itself. A delegation led by Joe Garry came to Washington to oppose area offices and your attorneys and staff work closely with them. The result was the introduction by Congressman White of Idaho of a rider to the Appropriation bill which would have abolished these offices. 

The rider was defeated, as might well have been expected since no hearings were held. However, Congressman White has now introduced a separate bill. At the request of your attorneys, the chairman of the House subcommittee on Indian Affairs has agreed to call hearings on it. 

We have not pressed for these hearings because, since Congressman Morris agreed to call them, the new Commissioner has told your Secretary that he is anxious to talk the whole matter over with the delegates to this convention. We hope that the discussions will lead to an understanding between the Indians and the Indian Office. 

This is a good example of the evils that can arise from failure of the Indian Office to comply with the spirit of the Indian Reorganization Act. This Act requires consultation with the Indians before appropriations are proposed. The whole area office set-up was created without consulting the Indians. As a matter of fact, the Members of Congress themselves were by no means fully conscious of what was being done. Both the Indians and the Congressmen are now faced with an accomplished fact, one that they definitely do not like. It is rather late now to consult the Indians about it. But better late than never. 

(Since this was first written, the Commissioner has addressed the Convention. He has indicated that, in spite of strong Indian opposition, he will not abolish the area offices. If the NCAI wishes to continue its opposition therefore, it will have to appeal to Congress).

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