This letter, undated but likely written in the first half of 1950 (see comment), from Assistant Secretary of the United States (US) Department of the Interior William E. Warne to US Senator William Langer, makes reference to Langer\u27s letter of January 12 regarding complaints by H. A. Rustad and Julius Mattson of crop damage caused by wild horses belonging to the Fort Berthold Reservation.
Warne writes that an investigation was made into the matter, that the Fort Berthold Agency Superintendent has been aware of the problem for some time, and that past efforts to resolve the problem have met with limited success. Recent talks with the Tribes, however, have indicated an awareness and willingness on the Tribes\u27 part to deal with the problem, and recently 227 head of horses were sold, with plans to sell more. Furthermore, representatives of the US Bureau of Indian Affairs Area Office and of the Fort Berthold Agency have spoken with Mattson. From their report, Warne feels that the cooperative effort of the parties concerned will result in a satisfactory solution of the problem.
Note: While this letter is undated, Warne served as Assistant Secretary of the US Department of the Interior only from 1947 to 1951, and there are references in the Usher Burdick Collection to complaints by H. A. Rustad of horse depredation in January of 1950, which, combined with references in this letter to complaints made in January, suggests, albeit inconclusively, that this letter was written in the first part of 1950.
See also:
Letter from Representative Burdick to H. A. Rustad Regarding Troubles with Reservation Horses, January 18, 1950 (In the Usher Burdick Collection)
Letter from Representative Burdick to the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs Regarding Troubles with Reservation Horses, January 18, 1950 (In the Usher Burdick Collection)https://commons.und.edu/langer-papers/2069/thumbnail.jp
