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Press Intelligence, Inc.
Washington 1, D. C.

Spokane Spokesman-
Review

Circ.: m. 87,799
S. 141,548

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Date: AUG 21 1955

National Indian Group To Meet

Convention to Open Here August 29
3

The spirit of a famous Spokane Indian chief, Spokane Garry, will hover over the 12th National Congress of American Indians convention to be held at the Davenport hotel August 29 to September 2.

A great-great-grandson of the chief, Joseph R. Garry of Plummer, Idaho, will wield the traditional tomahawk as gavel at the opening session. Garry is serving his second term as president of the national organization.

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JOSEPH R. GARRY

More than 700 persons are expected to register for the five-day session, Garry said yesterday. They will represent more than 60 tribes from throughout the United States and Alaska. 

Issues to Be Considered

Main issues to be considered at the convention will be a regulation passed by the 83d congress which calls for the termination of federal supervision over Indian reservations, current Indian land policies and the Julia Nicodemus income tax case.

Garry said the convention is expected to oppose the regulation to terminate federal supervision. 
"The result of such action would be exploitation of Indian lands by non-Indians," he said.

The president said the convention will also opposite the policies of the federal Indian commission in handling Indian lands and will support a legal battle between Mrs. Nicodemus and the federal government.

The federal government is asking for income tax from wheat raised on Indian land. An Idaho superior court this year ruled against the government but the decision is being appealed.

National Officers Named

National officers who will attend the convention include John Shaw of Burbank, Okla., first vice president, representing the Osage tribe; Clarence Wesley of Bylas, Ariz., second vice president, representing the San Carlos Apache tribe; Susan Kelly of North Dakota, secretary, representing the Standing Rock Sioux tribe, and Paschal Sherman of Washington, D. C., treasurer, representing the Colville Indians.

In addition to serving two terms as national president, Garry is in his fifth term as president of the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians, including tribes from Montana, Washington, Oregon and Idaho.

Garry's father, Ignace H. Garry, chief of the Coeur d'Alene tribe, will be one of the oldest delegates to the convention. The National Congress of American Indians is the largest all-Indian organization in the United States, Garry said. It numbers 125,000 members.

Headquarters of the group is Washington, D. C.,Helen L. Peterson is executive director. 

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