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Taxation

A separate report is being submitted to the delegates concerning the attempt of the Attorney General of the United States to get a court decision in the Allbaugh case upholding the power of Congress to tax Indian alloted trust lands. The NCAI was represented as amicus curiae in the case by its General Counsel, along with the Omaha tribe of Nebraska. The Court refused to sustain the Attorney General's contention.

Appropriation Estimates

The Indian Reorganization Act requires that Indian tribes be given an opportunity to examine the estimates of federal appropriations prepared by Indian Bureau officials before their submission to the Budget Bureau and to Congress. This gives the Indians an opportunity to know for what purposes the federal money is going to be spent and to object if they believe the proposed expenditures are wrong. In the past, this requirement has been disregarded. Your lawyers have made representations to the Department that this law should be complied with faithfully. During July, instructions were issues to field officials that compliance with this procedure will be required with regard to all tribes whether they are organized under the Indian Reorganization Act or not. Commissioner Myer and Executive Officer Greenwood should be commended for this action.

Alaska

The Alaska situation has again been very active. At the time of the last convention, the Tlingits and Haidas of Alaska were threatened with the same fate that has befallen several continental tribes: that of having all their lands taken from them without compensation. Legislation had been adopted to turn over many millions of dollars' worth of this property to the great pulp and paper companies. This law was clearly unconstitutional. The Chairman of the Senate Committee admitted this. The project for taking the Indian land from them has failed, up to the present time. 

Secretary Krug then attempted to get a new bill passed which might have corrected the constitutional errors of the old one, but would nevertheless have taken the lands of the Indians. The friends of the Indians insisted that no further legislation be passed, but instead the the Secretary guarantee Indian title to at least a part of their lands by setting up reservations under the Indian Reorganization Act. This struggle went on for many months, with Krug insisting on legislation and the organizations interested in Indian rights demanding reservations. Some of the organizations other than the NCAI adopted a "more reasonable" attitude and were willing to sponsor legislation. But the NCAI and the ANB stood firm and insisted that no legislation be introduced. Finally, on the very day before he left office, since our last convention, Secretary Krug set up the first three of the reservations demanded by the Indians. We feel that this was a direct result of the firm stand taken by the NCAI and ANB.

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