Viewing page 58 of 71

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

National Congress of American Indians (For Immediate Release) 

Denver, Colorado, November 15 [[note]] 12-14 - 1952 [[/note]]- Delegates to the 9th Annual Convention of the National Congress of American Indians elected new officers as follows: President, W.W. Short, Chickasaw tribe, Davis, Oklahoma; First Vice President, Edward L. Rogers, Chippewa, Walker, Minnesota; Second Vice President, Frank George, Colville Reservation, Nespelem, Washington (also now serving as executive director). Elizabeth Roe Cloud, A Minnesota Chippewa, was elected Treasurer. Five were elected to three-year terms on the Executive Council, the policy-making body of the organization. They are: Clarence Wesley, San Carlos Apache Tribe, San Carlos, Arizona; Dan N. Madrano, Caddo Tribe, Tulsa; Oklahoma; Ramon Roubideux, Sioux, Ft. Pierre, South Dakota; Edison G. Ward, Sioux, Martin, South Dakota; and Joseph R. Garry, Couer d'Alene tribe, Flummer, Idaho. Charles E. Grounds, Seminole tribe, Seminole, Oklahoma was elected to fill the unexpired term of Thomas Main of Hays, Montana, who died recently. Peter Star, Arikara, Elbowoods, North Dakota was appointed to serve the unexpired term of first vice president Edward L. Rogers. James R. Quay, Sioux, Thunderhawk, South Dakota, who resigned from the council. 
The incoming president is a successful stockraiser and active in the oil business for many years. Short is a charter member of the National Congress of American Indians. He is also the founder of the Choctaw-Chicksaw Confederation in Oklahoma which was organized for the procurement of a settlement of coal and asphalt holdings of the Choctaw-Chicksaw tribes and to adjust tribal affairs on the basis of equality and justice.
Among Resolutions adopted were: 
a. That the present withdrawal program of the Bureau of Indian Affairs be eliminated and that the new administration provide for "full and complete discussions and consultation with the tribes affected and that there be no withdrawal of federal trusteeship without the full consent and cooperation of the individual Indian tribes concerned.
b. Asked that the new administration "completely re-examine and bring up-to-date outmoded regulations, policies and practices with particular emphasis on consultation with the individual tribes in the formulation of new and realistic policies, regulations and practices."
c. That practices be re-examined with the view of assuring Indian veterans equal treatment with non-Indian veterans.
d. That the Indian Claims Commission Act be extended another two years in order to allow those tribes with claims the opportunity to file them. The resolution pointed out that a number of tribes had been deprived of their day in court on Indian claims.
e. Opposed the appointment of Dillon S. Hyer, incumbent Commissioner of Indian Affairs, for any public office henceforth for the reason that "the present Commissioner of Indian Affairs has proved himself to be entirely unfit for public office."