AZ vs. CA:16 California Exhibits, Vol. XVI; Nos. 2600-2644

page 15

INDIANS IH NEED A fer of the tribes In the Southwest, notably the Pima, the various Apache grouDii and the Ute, hnve reasonably jyiequate resources to provide a decent standard of living for many years. Eventually even the3o groups will find their growing population and their heightened standards of living pressing seriously upon their resources. Other groups, however, especially the Kavajo, the Hopi, the Papago, tho Yuna, and cortuin of the Puoblo already find themselves in critical oircunstoncos due to the inadequacy of their resources. NAVAJO Fairly reliable records show that the income of the Nnvajo tribe reached a peak in 1936. During this year consumption totaled $107 per capita of which $42 was in non-commercial food stuff consumed by people or domestic animals, and the remaining $£5 in commercial products. In the last four years there has boon a raise in the crop raising potentials, but a drop in wage v;ork ha3 left Navajo income far below the $107 in 1936. Concurrently, there has been a aerio\io depletion of range resources through overgrazing, necessitating considerable reduction in livestock. Further, the rapid growth of population makes the problem.increasingly Bevero, and without outside aid the standard of living, now barely at a subsistence level, will tend to sink lower and lower. Present indications are that little additional land can be acquired for this group. There are yet undeveloped resources on the Navnjo Reservation and it will bo possible through irrigation developments eventually to case the preaauro somewhat. A further development of projects now known as feasible will add about $30 per capita to the resorvation income. Such development would only make possible, hovrever, tha production of all producible foods imported to the Reservation in 1936 and subsistence farms adequate for approximately a six per cent increase in population. These developments would not provide for more than meager s\ibsistence food neods nor would they provide for population increases after 1946 to 1948. There are perhaps othor potential resources now under investigation on the Reservation which may make possible the adequate meeting of Navajo needs, Uany years will bo required, to develop these. At the seme time population Increases make immediate and urgent the need for outlets such as Bay be provided by the Colorado River project. 15 tb