blind people brought about by the paternalistic attitudes of the agencies is a demoralizing factor, a greatly contributive factor in undermining their mental health. The paternalistic approach, that some leaders of the agencies frankly acknowledge will never voluntarily be surrendered by them, fosters in the blind people a sense of irresponsibility for their own actions and for making their own decisions. Prolonged dependency tends to increase their anxiety about their ability to do anything for themselves to the point where many of the blind people can no longer take any effective action on their own behalf. The agencies have foisted dependency upon the blind people, then in turn, have exploited the blind people because of their dependency. A means for saving many of the blind people from becoming incurably enmeshed in this paternalistic nurturing of dependency would be through legal sanction and protection for the right of blind people to organize and to be heard. Mr. ELLIOTT. Thank you very much, Mr. Weiss. I have been inspired by your testimony. Where did you get that Phi Beta Kappa key you are wearing? Mr. WEISS. I got it at Rutgers University and I got my master's degree at Princeton and, in order to teach, giving a little personal history, the agency I went to for help told me that with a master's degree in political science all they could help me do was become a dictaphone typist and I did that job until I almost had a nervous breakdown. Then I got out of it one way or another. Then I went back about 5 years later and got another master's degree in social work to make it possible for me to become really professional in my chosen field. Mr. ELLIOTT. You earned the Phi Beta Kappa while you were totally blind? Mr. WEISS. Yes. One year before I entered college I lost my sight. I went in and with readers I survived. Mr. ELLIOTT. You are a living example of what a man can accomplish making the best use of the senses that he has left after suffering the limiting occasion of blindness. Mr. WEISS. Mr. Chairman, I have one quality that a lot of blind people don't have. I have emotional toughness to survive. So many blind people don't have that and you really need it or to get a lot of support from their sighted friends to help them survive. Mr. ELLIOTT. You gained some of that emotional toughness through your association with your fellow blind people and organizations such as yours, and you gained some of it, I should think, from the understanding on the part of your sighted friends who really desired to work with you. I want to compliment you on taking the position that the solution of these problems requires all of us. It is not an exclusionary matter. Mr. WEISS. That is right. Mr. ELLIOTT. The gentleman from Pennsylvania, Mr. Lafore. I certainly wish to congratulate Mr. Weiss on his able presentation. Mr. ELLIOTT. The gentleman from New Jersey, Mr. Daniels. Mr. DANIELS. Mr. Weiss, I likewise desire to compliment you on your testimony here today. It was most enlightening. Mr. WEISS. Thank you. Mr. DANIELS. However, if I have conveyed the impression to you or to anyone else in this room that I intended or did give Dr. ten Broek a hard time yesterday, that was far from my motives. After all, as a member of this subcommittee, it is our purpose to be objective in our study of this problem and to assist in serving your purpose in coming here to Washington, and we desire the benefit of everyone's testimony and everybody's views. So that, being a lawyer, if I question people and cross examine them, I do not necessarily entertain the view of the purpose of the question. It is merely to be objective in trying to ascertain what is proper to serve the best interests and the welfare of the blind. I purposely stated yesterday before I questioned Dr. ten Broek that I was a member of the Lions International and was president of its local chapter in Jersey City from 1949 to 1950, and prior thereto was chairman of its blind activities committee. I also pointed out that in the city of Jersey City I think we have a school for the blind that is the only institution of its kind in the United States of America, and that is St. Joseph's Home and School for the Blind, which is doing a wonderful job for the blind. Mr. WEISS. I was raised in New Jersey. While I am working in New York, I am very proud of New Jersey. Mr. DANIELS. I also desire to compliment you for the kind words that you said about the New Jersey Commission for the Blind. For your information, Mr. Weiss, I happen to be personally acquainted with Mr. Carl Barr, a member of the bar of the State of New Jersey, who served his clerkship and also worked in the law office of a Harry Moore, thrice Governor of the State of New Jersey, and also a former U.S. Senator, and he today is affiliated with the New Jersey Commission for the Blind. Mr. WEISS. That is right. Mr. DANIELS. And also in the city of Newark there is a lawyer by the name of Mr. Minella, who has a very active practice and is a very, very successfully engaged in the practice of law. Mr. WEISS. Those two fellows and I went to school together, so we know each other pretty well. Mr. DANIELS. I think he was recently elected to be councilman of the city of Newark. Mr. WEISS. That is right. Mr. DANIELS. So, therefore, in these questions there is no offense. intended for any witness from any member. I notice Dr. ten Broek standing. Mr. TEN BROEK. I should like to stand long enough to assure Congressman Daniels that there certainly hasn't been any misunderstanding on my part and I am sure anybody else's part. I deeply appreciate the ability and penetration of his questions. That helps us bring out our case and to explore the extent of our ideas, and I think that all Mr. Weiss meant was that I wasn't very successful in answering some of his questions. Mr. WEISS. That is just my weird sense of humor. Mr. DANIELS. I think that you have fully answered any question that I had. I bring out very, very clearly that you are not opposed to other organizations expressing their interest in the welfare of the blind. Mr. WEISS. That is right. Mr. DAN TELS. That is all, Mr. Chairman. Mr. ELL JOTT. Are there other questions which we might ask this gentleman here who has so ably testified? Mr. WE R. Mr. Chairman. Mr. from Minnesota is recognized. Mr. WEIR. While I am not a member of the subcommittee, I want to say I am impressed here. First, I was struck by the last part of the witness' statement tha he has succeeded and established himself as well as he has because he had the emotional tenacity to continue on in spite of frustration and other types of problems. That struck me as something that I ought to have, serving here in Congress, something that can compete with frus tration, but I do, Mr. Chairman, want to express to you and the members of your subcommittee here the appreciation that I know exists in the State of Minnesota in taking up this legislation, because I think all of us have had these letters and these communications. I know I have between 30 and 40 from Minnesota asking my support and my efforts to promote some of this legislation that is requested from my blind constituents in and out of my district, and I will take this oppor tunity as a member of the full committee to express the fact that Minnesota has a number of people who are interested in the presentation here today. I want to express my appreciation to you, Mr. Chairman, for bring ing this matter up. Mr. ELLIOTT. I want to thank my friend from Minnesota and to say to all of those present here that I know of no one who has a deeper interest in the problems of human beings, whether blind or whatso ever, than does my friend from Minnesota. He is a tower of strength on the committee, and we are very happy to have him visit us and work with us. Are there other questions? May I thank the gentleman for his testimony and say at this point in the record that the Honorable Clement J. Zablocki, a Member of Congress from the State of Wisconsin, desires to place in the record his statement approving his bill, H.R. 2813, which is similar to other bills now before the committee. (Statement referred to follows:) STATEMENT OF HON. CLEMENT J. ZABLOCKI, OF WISCONSIN, ON LEGISLATION PERTAINING TO THE BLIND Mr. Chairman, I appreciate this opportunity of presenting my views on legis lation pertaining to the blind before your committee. In the 85th Congress, and again in the present Congress, I introduced legi lation to protect the right of blind persons to self-expression through organiz tions of their choice. The number of my current bill on this subject is H.R. 2513 This bill would accomplish two things. In the first place, it would direct the Secretary of the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare to consult and advise with visually handicapped individuals and with representatives of organi zations of the blind in the formulation and administration of programs for the blind, and to encourage State agencies to do likewise. Secondly, H.R. 2813 would direct Federal officers and employees concerne with the administration of programs for the blind not to use the influence of their office against the right of blind persons to join organizations of their choler. 1 Further, it would condition Federal grants to State and other programs for the blind on such terms as will prevent the exertion, on the part of State officers a employees, of any influence against self-expression of the blind through legitimat and proper methods. The reasons for my action in sponsoring this legislation can be summarized very briefly. In many cities and communities throughout our Nation, there exist numerous organizations of blind persons. These organizations include alumni groups trade and professional associations, groups of vending stand operators, organi zations of workshop employees, and various other associations which have been formed by visually handicapped persons to advance their own welfare and common interests. These organizations afford our blind citizens an opportunity for collective selfexpression. It would seem to me, therefore, that adequate measures should be taken to safeguard the right of our blind citizens to join such organizations, and to use them freely for the purpose of expressing their views on various aid and rehabilitation programs financed with the help of Federal and State funds. This is the objective which H.R. 2813 proposes to achieve. I therefore wish to commend this proposal to your committee's careful consideration. There is one more point that I would like to mention. During the past year, I received some expressions from organizations for the blind, suggesting that services for the blind, and aids extended to visually handicapped persons, have experienced a general breakdown. I am in no position to judge to what extent this has really happened, but it seems to me that we ought to ascertain the true facts of this situation. We know that there presently exist various educational, rehabilitation, cultural, and financial programs designed to help blind people. If these programs are inadequate, or if they are not fulfilling their purpose, corrective action should be taken promptly. Before such corrective steps can be taken, however, we must first review and appraise the operations of these programs. It is my hope that the testimony and evidence presented to your committee in the course of these hearings will enable your committee to reach some definite conclusions on this subject. If further information and further study should be required, perhaps it would be advisable to assign this task to a special commission-which course has been proposed in some of the other bills pending before your committee. I, for one, would certainly welcome your committee's findings and recommendations on this issue. I want to thank the committee again for this opportunity to present my views. It is my sincere hope that these hearings will lead to such further legislative action as may be necessary to safeguard the rights of the blind, and to strengthen and improve the various programs designed to improve their well-being. Thank you. Mr. ELLIOTT. The subcommittee is very happy to have with it at this time a member of our full committee, the gentleman from Ohio, William H. Ayres, who is interested in the testimony which we are hearing on the blind bills and who comes specifically from another meeting in which he is engaged this afternoon to introduce to us Mr. Clyde Ross of his State, Ohio. Mr. Ayres, you may proceed to introduce Mr. Ross when you are ready. STATEMENT OF HON. WILLIAM H. AYRES, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF OHIO Mr. AYRES. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would like to present to the committee one of our most distinguished Ohio citizens and a constituent of mine, Mr. Clyde Ross, who resides in Akron, Ohio. Mr. Ross is not only well informed on the problems of the blind, but he is also well aware and well informed of the problems that not only the blind people have, but our community as a whole. He is very active in civic affairs and, with the help of his lovely wife, he has made himself a real asset to our community. We are proud of you, Clyde, and I know that Mr. Elliott, who is chairman of this subcommittee, will be very anxious to hear your comments regarding the various bills before the committee. Mr. Clyde Ross. Mr. ELLIOTT. Mr. Ross, we are very happy to have you and may I say to my friend from Ohio that we appreciate his kindness in coming here from another meeting to thus participate in our deliberations. Thank you, Bill, very much. You may proceed, Mr. Ross. STATEMENT OF CLYDE E. ROSS, PRESIDENT, OHIO COUNCIL OF THE BLIND, AND MEMBER, EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND Mr. Ross. Chairman Elliott, I wonder if you wish to hear the other two persons that were mentioned earlier before you hear me. Mr. ELLIOTT. Is there any particular reason why they be heard before we hear Mr. Ross, Dr. ten Broek? Mr. TEN BROEK. One of them has to catch a plane. Mr. ELLIOTT. At what time, sir? Mr. TEN BROEK. Quarter of four. Mr. ELLIOTT. How long do you think your testimony will take, Mr. Ross? Mr. Ross. I can make it as short as you wish. Mr. ELLIOTT. Is it agreeable with you to limit you to 10 minutes? Mr. Ross. I think so. Mr. ELLIOTT. If you could do that, will the other gentleman who has to catch a plane come up and be sitting alongside. All right, Mr. Ross, you may proceed. Mr. Ross. Chairman Elliott and members of the committee, my name is Clyde Ross, and I am of course from Akron, Ohio, president of the Ohio Council of the Blind. Different from some of the persons who have testified, I did not lose my sight until about 17 years ago, so that I have the advantage of knowing what it is to see. I also have the advantage now of knowing how it is not to see. There are some advantages on both sides. As I have heard expressed here today, I want to repeat, from the Ohio Council of Blind, as our part of the National Federation of Blind, we have no intention of excluding anyone from being consulted. We do want to be consulted. In my earlier years of blindness, I experienced the bitterness that I think many blind persons do experience sometime in their life when there seems to be no place for you and no one needs you, and I too survived that. I am employed in Goodyear Aircraft Corp. at Akron, Ohio, and have been for the past 15 years, as a bench machinist man. I work with sighted men and do the same work that they do, the same quantity of work, and I, without boasting, do the same quality of work. You gentlemen were elected by the citizens of your respective States and districts in those States to serve in Congress, and as you express an idea it may not always be the idea that each citizen of your State would express, but at least you are expressing what you believe to be the idea of the majority of your constituents. We among the blind ask for the same privilege, that when expressions are made for us in any conference on any level, they be made by someone of our choosing. We don't claim to know all that is to be known about the problems or the solution of those problems for blind persons. We do believe that, as blind individuals, we have a better knowledge of what the basic problems are. We do believe in most instances that we have a reasonable explanation of how to overcome those problems, and we most assuredly believe that we have a right to be heard in expressing a solution to those problems. In Ohio we come near to a desirable relationship. Ten years ago, twelve, the organization of the blind in Ohio were dubbed as Reds |