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PER CAPITA PAYMENT TO CHIPPEWA INDIANS OF MIN

NESOTA

JANUARY 20, 1932.-Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed.

Mr. KNUTSON, from the Committee on Indian Affairs, submitted the following

REPORT

[To accompany H. R. 225]

The Committee on Indian Affairs, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 225) providing for payment of $50 to each enrolled Chippewa Indian of Minnesota from the funds standing to their credit in the Treasury of the United States, having considered the same, report thereon with a recommendation that it do pass with the following amendments:

On page 2, line 1, strike out "$50" and insert in lieu thereof "$25". Amend the title so as to read:

A bill providing for payment of $25 to each enrolled Chippewa Indian of Minnesota from the funds standing to their credit in the Treasury of the United States.

The Chippewa Indians in Minnesota are in dire distress as the result of the existing economic depression, and it is the purpose of the bill now under consideration to make available to them a part of their tribal funds of which they are in great need. In view of the serious condition of the Indians, it is urged that prompt action be taken on the

measure.

The favorable report of the Secretary of the Interior is as follows: DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, Washington, January 20, 1932.

Hon. EDGAR HOWARD,

Chairman Committee on Indian Affairs,

House of Representatives.

MY DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: In compliance with your request of December 15, 1931, for a report on H. R. 225, which is a bill providing for a per capita payment of $50 to enrolled Chippewa Indians, of Minnesota, from the funds standing to their credit in the Treasury of the United States, I transmit herewith a memorandum on the subject that has been submitted by the Commissioner of Indian Affairs.

After a review of the proposed measure, I agree with the commissioner. In this connection, we are advised by the Director of the Bureau of the Budget that a $25 per capita payment would not be in conflict with the President's financial program.

Very truly yours,

RAY LYMAN WILBUR, Secretary.

OFFICE OF INDIAN AFFAIRS,
Washington, January 11, 1982.

This will refer to H. R. 225, a bill to authorize a $50 per capita payment to the Chippewa Indians of Minnesota from their tribal funds on deposit in the United States Treasury.

This fund accrued under the act of January 14, 1889 (25 Stat. 642), and now amounts to approximately $2,586,980. With 16,000 Indians a $50 payment would require $800,000. Special legislation is necessary to authorize the payment because of the provision in the act that the money shall remain in the Treasury for 50 years from the completion of allotments and then be distributed in equal shares among the members of the tribe living at that time. Since 1916 eight payments have been made, aggregating approximately $6,675,714. The fund is practically complete and no material additions thereto can be expected. The superintendent in charge of the Consolidated Chippewa Agency, who has jurisdiction of all the Indians except those at Red Lake, had one of his employees make a thorough investigation of the various bands under his agency. It was found that a very serious situation exists. In normal times many of the Indians find work in the logging camps, and with the vegetables which they raise manage to get along. Most of the sawmills have discontinued operation. Even the sale of cordwood in which many Indians ordinarily engage can no longer be relied upon. The wild rice and blueberry crops, important items in the support of the Indians, were very short. The winter in the Chippewa country is long and severe. Many of the Indians have no work or money; and it is believed that a payment is necessary in order to provide them with funds for the necessities of life, and thus prevent hardship, privation, and distress. In concluding his report the superintendent states:

"If ever a payment was needed, it is this winter."

The Red Lake Agency reports similar conditions.

However, a $50 payment would require nearly one-third of the amount now available which, as indicated above, is not likely to be increased. In our relief work this winter we are providing approximately $10 per month for the average family of two adults and three children, chiefly for subsistence. Under the circumstances, therefore, we believe that, including the shares of minor children, a $25 payment would be sufficient. Accordingly, it is suggested that the figures "$50" be changed to "$25". If thus amended I recommend enactment of the proposed legislation.

C. J. RHOADS, Commissioner.

о

THE CHICAGO WORLD'S FAIR CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION, "A CENTURY OF PROGRESS"

JANUARY 20, 1932.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union and ordered to be printed

Mr. KELLER, from the Committee on the Library, submitted the following

REPORT

[To accompany H. R. 4583]

The Committee on the Library, having had under consideration H. R. 4583, report thereon favorably and recommend its passage without amendment.

The bill herewith reported is identical with Senate bill No. 355, which was reported favorably on January 14 by the Senate Committee on Commerce.

Mr. Rufus C. Dawes, president of the exposition, addressed the committee concerning the plans for the exposition; a report to Mr. Dawes by Maj. L. R. Lohr appears as an appendix to this report.

The committee also considered H. R. 7526, introduced by Mr. Sabath, as well as H. R. 57, introduced by Mr. Chindblom. These two bills are very similar in their provisions to H. R. 4583, by Mr. Igoe, and for this reason the committee recommends that H. R. 4583 be printed showing the joint sponsorship of Mr. Igoe, Mr. Sabath, and Mr. Chindblom.

It is the consensus of the Committee on the Library that H. R. 4583 ought to pass.

A bill containing identical provisions passed the Senate at the last session of the Congress, but was lost in the legislative jam in the House during the final hours.

The United States has long since issued invitations to the various countries of the world to participate in this exposition. Many of the leading countries have already accepted this invitation and have made preparations for participation. Many have their building sites chosen.

Thirty-nine States of the Union have already made the necessary appropriations and/or provided through proper commissions for taking

part. Alaska, Hawaii, and Porto Rico have also taken appropriate action. The Philippine Legislature has the matter under advisement.

Photographic representations of the progress thus far maintained in the construction of various buildings and the report of Major Lohr are convincing proof of the ultimate success of this venture.

Therefore, it is the opinion of the Committee on the Library that in view of all of these facts, there is no choice left, but that the Government of the United States is honor bound to proceed with its original intention to participate as fully as was held out to the nations of the world and to the States of the Union, as stated at the time such invitations were issued.

The following documents were submitted to the committee:

THE CHICAGO WORLD'S FAIR, "A CENTURY OF PROGRESS"

The bill establishes a commission, to be known as the Chicago World's Fair Centennial Commission and to be composed of the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Agriculture, and the Secretary of Commerce, which shall have charge of the exhibition by the Government of the United States, its executive departments, independent offices, and establishments of such articles and materials as illustrate the function and administrative faculty of the Government in the advancement of industry, the arts, and peace, demonstrating the nature of our institutions particularly as regards their adaptation to the wants of the people. The bill provides for the appointment of a commissioner at a salary not in excess of $10,000 per annum to have charge of the work, under the direction and control of the commission. It also provides for the cooperation with the commission of the various executive departments and independent offices and establishments of the Government in the procurement, installation, and display of exhibits, and for lending to the fair “such articles, specimens, and exhibits which the commissioner shall deem to be in the interest of the United States to place with the science or other exhibits to be shown under the auspices of A Century of Progress," which is a corporation organized under the laws of the State of Illinois not for profit. The bill further provides for the proper return to the United States and the various departments and establishments of the Government of articles and property used by the commission or for the proper disposition thereof. It authorizes an appropriation for its purposes, which are enumerated in detail, of $1,725,000, and also permits the commissioner, with the approval of the commission, to receive from any source contributions to aid in carrying out the general purposes of the bill, but requires that such contributions shall be expended and accounted for the same as any appropriation made under authority of the bill itself.

The bill further requires the commission to transmit to Congress, within six months after the close of the exposition, "a detailed statement of all expenditures, and such other reports as may be deemed proper, which reports shall be prepared and arranged with a view to concise statement and convenient reference."

This legislation may be said to have been initiated by the passage by Congress and approval by the President February 5, 1929, of Public Resolution No. 82, Seventieth Congress, reading as follows:

"Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That whenever it shall be shown to the satisfaction of the President that a sum of not less than $5,000,000 has been raised and is available to the Chicago World's Fair Centennial Celebration corporation, for the purposes of a world's fair to be held in the city of Chicago, in the State of Illinois, in the year 1933, to celebrate the one hundredth anniversary of the incorporation of Chicago as a municipality, the President is authorized and requested, by proclamation or in such other manner as he may deem proper, to invite the participation of the nations of the world in the celebration.

"SEC. 2. That all articles which shall be imported from foreign countries for the purpose of exhibition at said celebration shall be admitted free of duty, customs fees, or charges, under such regulations as the Secretary of the Treasury shall prescribe; but it shall be lawful during said celebration to sell for delivery at the close thereof any goods or property imported and actually on exhibition therein, subject to such regulations for the security of the revenue as the Secretary of the Treasury shall prescribe: Provided, That all such articles when sold or

withdrawn for consumption shall be subject to the duty, if any, imposed upon such articles by the revenue laws in force at the date of their importation and to the terms of the tariff laws in force at the time: And provided further, That all necessary expenses incurred, including salaries of customs officials in charge of imported articles, shall be paid to the Treasury of the United States by the Chicago World's Fair Centennial Celebration Corporation, under regulations to be prescribed by the Secretary of the Treasury.

"SEC. 3. That the Government of the United States is not by this resolution obligated to any expense in connection with the holding of such world's fair and is not hereafter to be so obligated other than for suitable representation thereat."

In its report on this joint resolution by the Committee on Ways and Means, through its chairman, Mr. Hawley, that committee said:

"The city of Chicago was incorporated as a municipality in the year 1833, with a population of 28 white persons and some native Indians. It now has within its metropolitan area more than 4,000,000 people and is growing at the rate of about 90,000 per year.

"In 1893 the World's Columbian Exposition was held in Chicago to commemorate the four hundredth anniversay of the landing of Columbus on the American Continent. It was probably the most successful exposition held prior to or since that time. All world's fairs or expositions have hitherto been held upon the basis of competitive exhibitions of the products of agriculture, industry, sicence, and art. The citizens of Chicago, who have organized the Chicago World's Fair Centennial Celebration Corporation, as a corporation not for profit under the laws of the State of Illinois, propose to celebrate the centennial of their municipality by the holding of a world's fair celebration along entirely new and novel lines. "The greatest progress in the world's history has doubtless been made during the 100 years marking the rise of Chicago. It is therefore planned to 'portray intelligently, entertainingly, and educationally the modern spirit underlying the progress of each industry, and of agriculture, art, drama, and sport' during this period. It will be a scientific and historical display of the inception and progress of every element in human endeavor during the past century. In the language of its sponsors, 'it will express the new spirit of the world to-day, which is the utilization for the work of man of the knowledge which science has accumulated, and the application of it through collective and coordinated effort and action in industry, agriculture, and social organization.' It is said that it will 'supplant the old exhibition idea by the natural evolution of a new generation, a new thought of presenting a panoramic picture, beautifully adorned, of what science and industry have achieved for the world, and may yet achieve.' It is further reported that 'the National Research Council, which is the organization of the scientific intelligence of the Nation, has indorsed this idea, pledged its support, and appointed a committee of its distinguished members to aid in the preparation and development of the plans.'

"The financial success of the undertaking seems assured. Before the President will act under the resolution he must be satisfied that a sum of not less than $5,000,000 has been raised and is available for the celebration, and the corporation is preparing to accumulate total available capital of approximately $30,000,000

for the expenses of the enterprise.

"It is the belief of the sponsors, as voiced by Vice President Dawes at the hearing before the committee, that this method of exhibition, which has had very successful forerunners on limited scales, will attract the attention of the civilized world to such an extent that if it is not held in the near future, as proposed, in Chicago, some other city, or some other country, will enthusiastically appropriate the idea. An exhibition at Dusseldorf, Germany, showing the progress of medical science, drew an attendance of 7,500,000 people, and the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad recently exhibited the progress of transportation in the United States at aiexposition in Baltimore which attracted more people than attended the Sesqun centennial Exposition at Philadelphia.

"Your committee believe that the centennial celebration of the marvelous growth of the metropolis of the Middle West and the plan proposed for the very unique, attractive, and valuable exposition of the world's progress during the last hundred years merit the attention and support of our own, as well as foreign governments, and also believe that the usual facilities for bringing foreign objects into this country for exhibition should be granted to the Chicago enterprise.' In pursuance of the joint resolution, President Hoover, November 6, 1929, issued a proclamation in which he stated that it had been shown to his satisfaction that the requisite sum of $5,000,000 had been raised and made available to

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