APPROPRIATION BILL FOR 1943 HEARINGS BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE →COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS, SEVENTY-SEVENTH CONGRESS 1943 COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS CLARENCE CANNON, Missouri, Chairman CLIFTON A. WOODRUM, Virginia J. BUELL SNYDER, Pennsylvania ROSS A. COLLINS, Mississippi JOHN TABER, New York RICHARD B. WIGGLESWORTH, Massachusetts J. WILLIAM DITTER, Pennsylvania FRANCIS H. CASE, South Dakota 4 KLM 13 Ap INTERIOR DEPARTMENT APPROPRIATION BILL, 1943 HEARINGS CONDUCTED BY THE SUBCOMMITTEE: MESSRS. JED TUESDAY, MARCH 3, 1942. BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS STATEMENTS OF JOHN COLLIER, COMMISSIONER, WILLIAM Mr. JOHNSON of Oklahoma. The committee will next consider the items under the Office of Indian Affairs. We have with us Commissioner Collier, Assistant Commissioner Zimmerman, and one or two others including Mr. Greenwood, the very efficient finance officer. Mr. Commissioner, would you like to make a brief general statement to the committee, as is your custom? GENERAL STATEMENT Commissioner COLLIER. I do not think I need say much more than that the Budget estimate which comes to you represents an enormous cut in our funds. 1 Mr. JOHNSON of Oklahoma. How much is the total decrease? Commissioner COLLIER. $4,913,000. Mr. JOHNSON of Oklahoma. Then I assume that the Indian Service has heard of the present war and that it is not trying to do business as usual as seems to be the case with at least some departments and agencies of Government. You recognize, I assume, the fact America is in the throes of a death struggle and are cooperating to the fullest in the war effort. Commissioner COLLIER. We are cooperating in the war effort. Mr. JOHNSON of Oklahoma. Just how are you cooperating? By your voluntary action in suggesting severe cuts in your appropriations? Commissioner COLLIER. There were two cuts. The Budget imposed a cut of about $2,000,000. Then after Pearl Harbor the Budget was told to cut again, and in the second instance they gave us the privilege of suggesting what we would give up. Mr. JOHNSON of Oklahoma. Did you and your associates sit in with the Budget on those cuts? Commissioner COLLIER. Yes, and as a matter of fact, they did in the first instance. The Budget was very considerate of us. Now we are endeavoring to keep the essential things not only alive but operating efficiently. We are taking on a great many new things in support of defense work which were not appropriated for. I would say that we are expecting to do and will do more work on this diminishing sum. We have to do it, and the cuts thus far made are not cuts that destroy anything that is in a sense organic or vital. We fear that if the cuts were made still deeper then irreparable burt might be caused. I do not think I need to say any more at this time, Mr. Johnson. Mr. JOHNSON of Oklahoma. I have mentioned that Mr. Zimmerman, the Assistant Commissioner, is present. Do you wish to make a brief statement, Mr. Zimmerman? Mr. ZIMMERMAN. No, I do not think so, Mr. Chairman. Mr. JOHNSON of Oklahoma. We also have present Mr. Greenwood again this year. You are the finance officer, Mr. Greenwood? Mr. GREENWOOD. I am finance officer of the Indian Office, Mr. Chairman. Mr. JOHNSON of Oklahoma. How long have you been finance officer? Mr. GREENWOOD. About 31⁄2 years. I have been in the Indian Service approximately 20 years. Mr. JOHNSON of Oklahoma. Do you have any tables at this time to insert in the record? Mr. GREENWOOD. Yes, sir, we have several tables that we customarily submit for the record. The first is a detailed statement of the tribal funds as of January 1, 1942. (The statement referred to was filed with committee.) STATEMENT OF ALLOTMENTS TO INDIAN SERVICE FROM EMERGENCY FUNDS Mr. GREENWOOD. We also have a statement of allotments to the Indian Service from emergency funds. (The statement referred to is as follows:) Submarginal land purchases (Administration). Allotments to Indian Service from emergency funds as of Mar. 1, 1942 Emergency conservation work (Civilian Conservation Corps, Indian Division) Public Works projects. Civil Works Administration_ Indian relief and rehabilitation__ Miscellaneous: Submarginal land purchases (expended by Re settlement Administration) $75, 787, 423 35, 614, 300 1, 922, 250 7,950, 770 Purebred cattle purchased and given to Indians.. 800, 000 200, 000 Subsistence homesteads__ 80, 000 Work Projects Administration grant for improveing land records_ 91, 283 4,849, 322 Total emergency funds.. 126, 124, 075 STATEMENT OF REIMBURSABLE DEBTS CANCELED Mr. GREENWOOD. We also have a statement of the reimbursable debts canceled. (The statement referred to is as follows:) H. Doc. 202 (72d Cong.), Jan. 2, 1934, tribal herds and industrial equipment__ H. Doc. 207 (74th Cong.), Dec. 1, 1934: Domestic and stock water development Water, miscellaneous surveys, and investigations. Industrial advancement. Letter, Jan. 8, 1937 (unprinted): Industrial advancement.. Total__ 870, 353. 53 116, 970. 00 2, 128, 146. 08 Mr. GREENWOOD. We also have a statement of the miscellaneous revenues, other than trust funds, deposited in the Treasury during the fiscal year 1941. (The statement referred to is as follows:) Miscellaneous revenues, other than trust funds, deposited in the Treasury during the fiscal year 1941 Interest on deferred collections. Interest on rehabilitation loans_ Fees (certified copies). Fines and penalties. Commissions, telephone pay stations. Indian lands and timber____ $15, 224. 61 1, 169. 01 6. 50 396. 01 .30 150, 643. 64 |