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The superintendent promptly fired the council members from their jobs. The NCAI demanded an investigation. An investigation was held but the proceedings were kept entirely secret and no results have even yet been announced.

At the tribal council election last last year, Rufus Sago and others who had criticised the superintendent were overwhelmingly re-elected. But the superintendent reinstated some of the council members on their jobs. And rather than see their families starve, they went over to his side of the argument. The superintendent then got a group of these Indians together and induced them to vote that the chairman and two other members, who were opposed to the superintendent, should be removed from office. This action was entirely illegal and not authorized by the tribal constitution.

The superintendent, pursuant to these illegal proceedings has expended about forty eight thousand dollars of tribal funds.

At Omaha, a similar situation is arising. The superintendent wrote a report in which he attacked all the Indians on the grounds that they were grossly immoral, were members of the Native American Church and used peyote for sacramental purposes. The council adopted a resolution defending the religious rights of their members, whereupon the superintendent issued a personal attack upon the councilmen charging them with dishonesty. This diatribe was made available to the opposing candidates so that, in the next election, the Indians who disagreed with the superintendent would be defeated.

It seems that whenever a tribal council has a quarrel with the superintendent, the entire staff of the Indian Office rushes to the superintendent's defense. It seems to me that in such cases, the NCAI and all the Indians should rush to the council's defense. The NCAI has not done enough for councilmen that have found themselves in this position. It should plan to help them more effectively.

Inter-Tribal Organizations

Your attorneys have given assistance from time to time to various inter-tribal organizations. The Sioux Nation group and the Northwest Indians sent delegations to Washington. The Arizona group is in the process of organization. We consider this to be a very healthy development. It is often easier for these smaller groups to understand and handle local problems than it is for a national organization like the NCAI.

Legislation

The work of your attorneys on the various bills pending in or passed by Congress at this session is covered by the separate legislative report. This report was included in the August issue of the Bulletin and has been given to each delegate. As a general thing, we believe that the NCAI should make provision for more money to carry on this work. We need to have at least one additional employee who can spend his time studying report

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