mazurie argued november decided january respondents operated bar land outskirts unincorporated village within wind river reservation denied tribal liquor license wind river tribes pursuant option regulate introduction liquor indian country convicted nonjury trial introducing spirituous beverages indian country violation section defines term indian country including lands communities define term communities entering judgment conviction district basis testimony bar location racial composition residents surrounding area largely indian families concluded bar located within indian country held federal authority reach located privately held land within reservation boundaries appeals reversed holding prosecution met burden proving beyond reasonable doubt bar excluded indian country exception lands communities fatally defective indefiniteness vagueness term community insofar authorized indian tribes control introduction alcoholic beverages onto land invalid congressional attempt delegate authority held section unconstitutionally vague given nature bar location surrounding population statute sufficient advise respondents bar excepted tribal regulation virtue located community pp congress authority art constitution regulate distribution alcoholic beverages establishments respondents bar authority adequate even though land held fee persons regulated pp congress validly delegate authority reservation tribal council independent authority indian tribes matters affect internal social relations tribal life sufficient protect congress decision vest tribal councils portion authority regulate commerce indian tribes art pp rehnquist delivered opinion unanimous harry sachse argued cause brief solicitor general bork assistant attorney general johnson jacques gelin lawrence shearer charles hamilton argued cause filed brief respondents jerome statkus assistant attorney general argued cause state wyoming amicus curiae urging affirmance brief sterling case deputy attorney general marvin sonosky glen wilkinson filed brief shoshone arapahoe tribes wind river indian reservation amici curiae urging reversal justice rehnquist delivered opinion respondents convicted introducing spirituous beverages indian country violation appeals tenth circuit reversed granted certiorari order consider solicitor general contentions unconstitutionally vague congress constitutional authority control sale alcoholic beverages land within boundaries indian reservation congress validly make delegation authority reservation tribal council reverse appeals wind river reservation established treaty located rather arid portion central wyoming least acres described justice cardozo fair fertile shoshone tribe straddles wind river remarkable canyon lies basin foot wind river mountains whose rugged glaciated peaks ridges form portion continental divide reservation occupied shoshone arapahoe tribes although tribes ancestral foes today jointly known wind river tribes result various patents substantial tracts land scattered within reservation boundaries land respondents martin margaret mazurie operated bar business corporate name blue bull federal law generally prohibited introduction alcoholic beverages indian country indian country defined include lands within limits indian reservation term given narrower meaning insofar relevant liquor prohibition exclude lands within communities reservations act may stat supra quoted term defined fact creates problems shall shortly deal congress passed legislation allowing indian tribes approval secretary interior regulate introduction liquor indian country long state law violated act stat wind river tribes responded option adopting ordinance permitted liquor sales reservation made accordance wyoming law blue bull originally opened liquor license issued fremont county operation therefore consistent tribal ordinance wind river tribes adopted new liquor ordinance ordinance ordinance required retail liquor outlets within indian country obtain tribal state licenses mazuries applied tribal license warnings subject criminal charges continued operate without one tribes held public hearing martin mazurie mazuries lawyer attended witnesses protested grant license complaining singing shooting late hours disturbances elderly residents nearby housing development permitting indian minors bar application denied thereafter mazuries closed blue bull three weeks later reopened remained operation approximately year federal officers seized alcoholic beverages criminal prosecution initiated case tried district without jury since factual issues disposed stipulations testimony trial primarily dealt whether bar within indian country basis testimony blue bull location racial composition residents surrounding area concluded bar located holding federal authority reach located privately held land within reservation boundaries entered judgments conviction respondent fined appeals reversed convictions concluded prosecution carried burden proving beyond reasonable doubt bar excluded indian country exception lands communities conclusion tied directly basic holding terminology community capable sufficiently precise definition serve element crime herein considered statute thus fatally defective reason indefinite vague terminology ii well established vagueness challenges statutes involve first amendment freedoms must examined light facts case hand national dairy products determining whether unconstitutionally vague respondents must therefore first consider evidence location blue bull evidence showed bar located outskirts fort washakie unincorporated village bearing name man chief shoshones early years wind river reservation shoshone tribe harmston supra fort washakie location wind river agency bureau indian affairs tribal headquarters wind river tribes one witness testified village indian community app evidence also showed families living within area roughly centered blue bull indian families one mixed geological survey map introduced show limits housing survey indicates survey included settlements within fort washakie area nearest concentrations housing saint james church ethete four miles beyond boundaries survey six miles fort washakie evidence also established state school serving fort washakie located two miles blue bull total enrollment students indian evidence bearing whether blue bull located community martin mazurie testimony bar served indians kind know app transcript hearing mazuries application tribes retail liquor license also admitted trial transcript indicates blue bull located near public housing development populated largely entirely indians residents development complained persons leaving bar late night one reason another either transportation destination wander development testimony blue bull community defense obtain acknowledgments prosecution witnesses precisely state boundaries fort washakie indian community otherwise examination defense directed establishing term indian without precise meaning state wyoming generally jurisdiction lands within reservation think foregoing evidence sufficient justify district implied conclusion fort washakie surrounding settlements compose community read opinion appeals reaching conclusion contrary stated instead based decision proposition proof go far enough view generated opinion requirements statute must meet order avoid vice vagueness appeals looking proof beyond reasonable doubt precisely defined concepts indian community gather expected persons treated indians housing school surveys proved satisfy specific statutory definition similarly apparently expected proof concerning community conformed specific statutory definition presumably one keyed geographical area precise boundaries believe appeals erred holding constitution requires proof precisely defined concepts prosecution required prove blue bull located community term meaning sufficiently precise man average intelligence reasonably understand contemplated conduct proscribed national dairy products given nature blue bull location surrounding population statute sufficient advise mazuries bar excepted tribal regulation virtue located community iii appeals expressed doubt government power regulate business land granted fee without restrictions went hold even congress possess power delegated indian tribe find necessary resolve issue congressional power however reach issue hereinafter conclude federal authority properly delegated indian tribes conclude federal authority adequate even though lands held fee even though persons regulated article constitution gives congress power regulate commerce foreign nations among several indian tribes repeatedly held clause affords congress power prohibit regulate sale alcoholic beverages tribal indians wherever situated prohibit regulate introduction alcoholic beverages indian country holliday wall gallons whiskey ex parte webb perrin johnson gearlds nice perrin supra demonstrates controlling principle dealt sale intoxicating beverages within premises owned privately held land organized municipality land originally included yankton sioux indian reservation ceded cession agreement ratified confirmed congress specified alcoholic beverages never sold ceded land land subsequently opened private settlers upholding perrin conviction stated power congress prohibit introduction intoxicating liquors indian reservation wheresoever situate prohibit traffic liquors tribal indians whether upon reservation whether within without limits state admit doubt arises part clause constitution investing congress authority regulate commerce foreign nations among several indian tribes part recognized relation tribal indians federal government hold neither constitution previous cases leave room doubt congress possesses authority regulate distribution alcoholic beverages establishments blue bull iv appeals said however even congress possessed authority regulate blue bull delegate authority indian tribes reasoned follows tribal members citizens difficult see association citizens exercise degree governmental authority sovereignty citizens belong participate way tribal organization situation way comparable city county special district state laws separate nation citizens within boundaries authority landowners individuals excluded members purported delegation authority tribal officials contained therefore invalid congress delegate authority private voluntary organization obviously governmental agency regulate business privately owned lands matter located obvious authority congress constitution regulate commerce indian tribes broad encompass relationships concerned cases worcester supra kagama supra surely establish proposition indian tribes within indian country good deal private voluntary organizations thus undermine rationale appeals decision cases addition make clear congress delegated authority control introduction alcoholic beverages indian country entities possess certain degree independent authority matters affect internal social relations tribal life clearly distribution use intoxicants matter need decide whether independent authority sufficient tribes impose ordinance necessary state independent tribal authority quite sufficient protect congress decision vest tribal councils portion authority regulate commerce indian tribes cf export supra fact mazuries become members tribe therefore participate tribal government alter conclusion claim respondents congress subject authority tribal council respect sale liquor answered opinion williams lee holding authority tribal courts extend insofar concerned transactions reservation indians stated immaterial respondent indian reservation transaction indian took place cases consistently guarded authority indian governments reservations congress recognized authority navajos treaty done ever since power taken away congress lone wolf hitchcock citations omitted reversed footnotes harmston wind river basin granger et mineral resources glacier primitive area wyoming geological survey bull pp title provides pertinent part except otherwise provided sections title term indian country used chapter means land within limits indian reservation jurisdiction government notwithstanding issuance patent including running reservation title provides provisions sections title shall apply within area indian country act transaction within area indian country provided act transaction conformity laws state act transaction occurs ordinance duly adopted tribe jurisdiction area indian country certified secretary interior published federal register ordinance properly approved secretary interior published federal register fed reg blue bull reopened decision appeals april however fremont county refused renew license closed brief brief respondents stipulated blue bull operated without license required ordinance alcoholic beverages sold blue bull blue bull located within wind river reservation land owned fee blue bull properly licensed state authorities district make specific finding fact blue bull located community find indian country situated site known fort washakie wyoming fort washakie incorporated community recognized boundaries bar operated violation contains exclusion indian country lands communities ambiguity trial findings readily explained respondents failure focus issue trial nature defense testimony discussed infra respondents failed contest issue established motion dismiss close government evidence basis motion failure prove beyond doubt respondents operating indian community app emphasis added even true plainly irrelevant wording respondents counsel proceeded argument based respondents unrestricted fee ownership property bar located app addition respondents counsel dispute statement close trial sole issue whether tribal council jurisdiction deeded land held parties fee record appeal went state indian country question need cite single case bar ten acres sic located indian country saying indian land indian country ibid respondents counsel made objection also apparently seek focus attention issue filing either brief proposed findings fact conclusions law parties opportunity make submissions prosecution appears record appeal assume arguendo government arguments prosecution burden proving statutory exceptions applicable assumption conclude government event carry burden need consider whether exception must pleaded proved criminal defendants cf vuitch dealing criminal statute exception incorporated enacting clause statute emphasis supplied note exception available lands communities rather indian communities fact renders irrelevant inability prosecution witnesses specify precise boundaries fort washakie indian community need detain issue seemed cause appeals difficulties qualifies person indian record plainly establishes circumstances case distinction indians generally understood testified housing school surveys displayed difficulty making classifications mazurie testified trouble bar call county sheriff deal call tribal police deal indian counsel questioned determined simply replied knew app undisputed wind river tribes emancipated federal guardianship control thus doubt case properly analyzed terms congress exclusive constitutional authority deal indian tribes respondents attempt bolster claim argument basic rights principles equal protection due process currently available within tribal councils brief respondents however respondents make claim tribal decision deny license constituted denial equal protection resulted hearing lacked due process whether extent fifth amendment available correct arbitrary discriminatory tribal exercise delegated federal authority must therefore await decision case issue squarely presented appropriately briefed observation also applicable regard pub stat provides indian tribe exercising powers shall deny person within jurisdiction equal protection laws deprive person liberty property without due process law quite apart potential sources protection arbitrary tribal action protection extent assured requirement delegated authority exercised pursuant tribal ordinance approved secretary interior