section 3 of the act of June 26, 1936 (49 Stat. 1967), as the authority for organizing these Indians. That section provides that "Any recognized tribe or band of Indians residing in Oklahoma shall have the right to organize for its common welfare and to adopt a constitution and by-laws, under such rules and regulations as the Secretary of the Interior may prescribe." As noted above, the constitutions and charters of the Morton and Prairie Island groups were issued in accordance with the Act of June 18, 1934, which is the preferable authority to cite.

In amending the bill to meet these conditions, I have also adopted the accepted spelling "Mdewakanton" and have inserted, at the request of the Indians, the designation "Wahpekute", thus recognizing a cognate tribal group. The text. as amended, is attached hereto

The Committee on Public Lands unanimously recommends the enactment of H. R. 2610 as amended.

AUTHORIZING THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR TO CONVEY A CERTAIN PARCEL OF LAND, WITH IMPROVEMENTS, TO THE CITY OF ALPENA, MICH.

MAY 31, 1949.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed

Mr. PETERSON, from the Committee on Public Lands, submitted the following

REPORT

To accompany H. R. 27831

The Committee on Public Lands, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 2783) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to convey a certain parcel of land, with improvements, to the city of Alpena. Mich., having considered the same, report favorably thereon without amendment and recommend that the bill do pass.

EXPLANATION OF THE BILL

H. R. 2783 authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to convey to the city of Alpena, Mich., for city use, a tract of land containing approximately 0.143 acre. No expenditure of Federal funds is required. This land was purchased in 1919 by the Federal Government for use by the Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of the Interior. fish hatchery was established at that time but was abandoned in 1936. The land has not been used since that time for governmental purposes. The city of Alpena is now occupying the tract with the permission of the Fish and Wildlife Service. The city wishes to acquire title and such action is recommended by the Department of the Interior.

Pertinent comments from the Department's favorable report are. set forth below and are made a part of this report.

I recommend enactment of the proposed legislation.

The bill would authorize the Secretary of the Interior to convey, without consideration, to the city of Alpena, Mich., all the right, title, and interest of the United States in and to a lot situated in the city of Alpena, containing approximately 0.143 acre. The lot in question has not been utilized for fish-cultural purposes for some years, and in fact is now occupied by the city of Alpena with the

permission of the Fish and Wildlife Service of this Department. It is understood that the city of Alpena has need of this land for its own purposes, and it would seem appropriate to authorize the conveyance of the title to the land to the city.

The lot in question was acquired in 1919 for approximately $500, and subsequently additional lands were leased by the United States and a fish hatchery was established and maintained on the leased lands. The fish cultural station was abandoned in 1936, and the lot acquired by the United States has not been used for governmental purposes since that time.

Enactment of this bill is unanimously recommended by the Committee on Public Lands.

PROTECTING SCENIC VALUES ALONG AND TRIBUTARY TO ASPEN BASIN ROAD, AND CONTIGUOUS SCENIC AREA, WITHIN THE SANTA FE NATIONAL FOREST. N. MEX.

MAY 31, 1949-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed

Mr. PETERSON, from the Committee on Public Lands, submitted the following

REPORT

To accompany S. 3531

The Committee on Public Lands, to whom was referred the bill (S. 353) to protect scenic values along and tributary to Aspen Basin Road, and contiguous scenic area, within the Santa Fe National Forest, N. Mex., having considered the same, report favorably thereon without amendment and recommend that the bill do pass.

EXPLANATION OF THE BILL

The purpose of this bill is to protect scenic values of certain lands along the Aspen Basin Road in the Santa Fe National Forest, N. Mex., by imposing limitations on location and entry of mineral lands under the United States mining laws. The limitations would not prevent legitimate and practical mineral development.

Similar legislation was enacted to preserve the scenic and recreational resources along the Catalina Highway and recreation area on portions of the Coronado National Forest, Ariz.

those resources.

Since the United States constructed the Aspen Basin Road to provide public access to an important recreation and skiing country it would be inconsistent with the public interest to permit unrestricted mineral activity to interfere with the public use and enjoyment of S. 353 limits, on certain lands described therein, the rights of locators of subsequently filed mining claims to the minerals, and provides that the title to the surface of such lands would remain with the United States. It also restricts the use of the surface of these lands by the locator to the needs for mining purposes and provides that the cutting of timber by the locator would be subject to national forest timber cutting rules.

This bill affects the State of New Mexico only and is not intended

to establish a

Congressmen from New Mexico, the Department of Agriculture,

precedent. It has the approval of the Senators and