From The Files of The Seminole Producer

WASHINGTON (UPI) – A national spokesman for the American Indian Movement (AIM) has assured U.S. Rep. James R. Jones, D-Okla., the group is not planning any violence or takeover of buildings during the national convention at Pawnee, Okla., in early May, Jones said Monday.

“I asked Russell Means if he or AIM had plans to create any violence or take over any buildings or things of this nature or cause disturbances,” Jones said. Pawnee is located within Jones’ congressional district.

“He told me the purpose of the meeting in Pawnee was to have a convention, not to create violence or take over buildings, and he assured me it’s for the AIM people to have their own convention. If that’s the case I think any group has the right to have a convention.”

Means was testifying before the Indian affairs subcommittee of the interior committee, of which Jones is a member.

“My main concern through my committee work is to try to get to the heart of the Indian problem,” Jones said. “There’s no question whether you’re talking about reservation or urban Indians not on the reservation that the Indians do not have adequate health care. You can see that in the mortality rate.

“Indians have the highest unemployment rate, they need more jobs,” Jones said. “And housing by and large for Indians is below par.”

Jones said the thing that concerned him about AIM was a tendency toward violence.

“I have not really explored their demands,” Jones said. “The thing that does worry me is that a few leaders may turn public opinion away from the real problems of the Indians and get it on questions of violence and things of that nature.

“To me that would set back the real need to come to grips with helping the Indians,” he said. -oOo Cluttered Corner Watergate Hokum and Glover Facts By Milt Phillips THE NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY chairman was in Ok City last week and said on teevee that the Watergate Case will be a major national political issue next campaign. On teevee the national political partisan said the Watergate case wasn’t “a caper.” He said it was “a criminal” action. The inference of the national partisan’s comment was that government funds or governmental functions were involved – not just political affairs – not just a sortie (however dumb) between partisan politicians with no government funds or resources involved, as are involved, for instance in the state’s current industrial development hassle. One partisan recently compared the Watergate political hassle to “the Teapot Dome Case.” Maybe the political leaders think the public can be fooled into considering a political hassle on a par with a scandal of government resources and funds such as Teapot Dome or Oklahoma’s industrial development scandal. The public isn’t that easily fooled. The national chairman quoted above said the people didn’t respond to Presidential Candidate McGovern’s screaming about Watergate because the public then thought Watergate was “a caper.” That demonstrates that the public will not be fooled by partisan screaming and some sensational teevee coverage. The people aren’t always as observing of political gymnastics as they should be, but if Watergate is all the Democratic National Chairman has to offer next election, he’s got a mighty weak case to present to the people. -oOo Slants – Mrs. Alfred Hammer preserving some music scores used by a former Earlsboro church pastor, the Rev. Art Haddock… Conchetta Cudjoe being appreciative for the local support given her in her Langston University contest for “Miss Debutante” … Miss Cudjoe has brought honor to her hometown… James Leatherman showing off a much larger than usual duck egg from the family’s flock… The specimen was about onethird larger than a normal egg. -oOo School Daze – A memorandum from the Selective Service System has been sent to the school for information to young men.

The Selective Service believes that many young men are under the false impression that registration at age 18 is no longer required. Even though draft calls have ended, the Selective Service Act still requires 18-year-old men to register. Men attaining age 18 may register 30 days prior to, or 30 days after their birthday, giving them 60 days to comply with the law.

School Daze Slants – Billy Hastings having a concerned admirer… Steve Wells doing a lot of walking … Shawn Merrell reading something… Alta Conway forgetting… Miss Tillery wiping chalk… David Compton having a good visit… Dava Vanlandingham being late… Randy Nix trying to get someone’s attention… Nancy Sullivan typing… Rocky Heinzig having an accident… James Williams borrowing a pencil… Glenda Plumlee having a new ring…Judy Wilson being worried… Brad Shultz liking someone new… Dennis Auld walking out of class… Jennifer Roberson quitting… Karla Davis asking about something.