The need for legislation to protect the right of the blind to organize is urgent. It often seems unnecessary to reestablish rights guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States; yet if such a necessity arises, can there be legitimate opposition to such confirmation? I think not. Then, too, in my capacity as administrative assistant of the Iowa Commission for the Blind, I find it inconceivable that any agency for the blind would not, as a matter of routine, consult and advise with blind people. Yet some agencies have actually opposed this section of the measure, though the bill in no way requires the advice of the organiaztions of the blind to be carried out. To know the problems with which we have to cope, we who are workers for the blind must consult with those who have the problems. Otherwise, how will we ever recognize those problems and solve them? It would be foolish for the Atomic Energy Commission not to consult with atomic scientists; and it is, likewise, foolish for agencies for the blind not to consult with blind people. Such consultation is the only method by which an effective program can be developed. To oppose it is folly. Therefore, I join many blind citizens and members of many agencies for the blind in support of H.R. 14 and similar bills. I urge your subcommittee to send this measure to Congress with a recommendation for speedy passage. Very truly yours, JAMES A. VALLIANT, Administrative Assistant. [Reprinted from the November 1957 edition of the Braille Monitor by permission of the editor] WAS IT REALLY PASSED UNANIMOUSLY, OR DID THE RAILROAD RUN THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF THE HOUSE? At its annual convention in Chicago on July 12 of this year the American Association of Workers for the Blind "unanimously" passed (or, at least, so Congress and the general public were told) a resolution opposing the Kennedy bill to protect the right of the blind to organize. The unbelievable story of what really happened at that AAWB meeting is only now beginning to be generally known. It should give cause for reflection to blind persons and agency employees alike, for in the light of what it reveals about the Chicago meeting it is clear that the AAWB leaders are now willing not only to ride roughshod over the blind in order to accomplish their ends but over their own members as well. Apparently the organization no longer speaks for the average agency employee in this country or even for the average agency administrator but only for its small group of leaders who maintain their dominance in the same way that they passed their July 12 resolution. The latest revelations came at a meeting in Las Vegas, Nev., early in October. The occasion was the annual convention of the Western Conference of Teachers of Adult Blind. A proposal to endorse the Kennedy and the Baring bills was under discussion. Several persons, including the heads of two State agencies doing work for the blind, said that they had attended the AAWB convention and that they had tried to speak against the AAWB resolu tion but that the chair would not recognize them. They went on to say that they had voted against the resolution but that their votes were not recorded and that the AAWB leadership was now publicly saying that the resolution had passed unanimously. There can be no doubt that the leaders of the AAWB are, in fact, making such statements. Mr. M. Robert Barnett, executive director of the American Foundation for the Blind, says in the September issue of the New Outlook for the Blind, referring to the AAWB and NFB conventions held this summer (p. 326, inkprint edition): "It is perhaps the most startling fact of the two conventions viewed together to report that they unanimously differed on official attitude about one issue that is the issue which is embodied in the proposal known now as the Kennedy bill to protect the right of the blind to self-expression through their own organization." Even though fear of reprisals was expressed, the Western Conference of Teachers put itself on record as endorsing the Kennedy and Baring bills. This means that teachers of the adult blind in almost one-fourth of the States, Hawaii, and Alaska have lined up with the blind and against the AAWB leadership on the right of the blind to organize. No doubt other agency employees will make their voices heard as the story of the tactics used at Chicago spreads. Apparently this is what happened. It was the last day of the AAWB convention. The resolutions committee brought in a resolution opposing the Kennedy bill to protect the right of the blind to organize. This resolution was presented as a part of a package containing four or five other resolutions thanking the hotel and similar courtesy matters. A request was made that the resolution be considered separately, but this was denied. One either had to vote for all, or against all. This was July 12, and the Kennedy bill had only been introduced on June 27. Most of the delegates had never read it. Many had never heard of it. The Kennedy bill contains only 202 words. Yet, the Kennedy bill was not read to the delegates before they voted on the resolution putting the AAWB on record as opposing it. Only one person was allowed to speak against the resolution, and he was given only 3 minutes. Further the chair permitted him to be booed and heckled as he talked. When the votes were counted the resolution had passed "unanimously." One would not wish to be facetious about a situation which contains so many grave implications for the entire blind population. The AAWB leaders, however, have almost made themselves ridiculous in their attempts to cling to a dying prestige. The matter has almost come to have ludicrous overtones. After the exposure of the tactics used at Chicago, let us hear no more from these gentlemen about "professional processes" and "sound social thinking," about "ethical standards" and working for "all of the blind." Railroading is still an industry, not a profession; and Chicago remains the railroad center of the world. To quote the words of the popular song, "The railroad runs through the middle of the house since the company bought the land" (and, we might add, "the workers, too"). CHRONOLOGICAL LIST OF LAWS AFFECTING THE BLIND1 (Not including establishment of National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Blindness) LAWS GOVERNING BOOKS AND TANGIBLE APPARATUS FOR BLIND CHILDREN Chapter 186, 45th Congress, March 3, 1879. Public Law 288, 59th Congress, June 25, 1906. AN ACT TO PROVIDE BOOKS FOR THE ADULT BLIND WITH AMENDMENTS Public Law 787, 71st Congress, March 3, 1931. Public Law 446, 82d Congress, July 3, 1952. Public Law 308, 85th Congress, September 7, 1957. VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION ACT AND AMENDMENTS Public Law 236, 66th Congress, June 2, 1920. RANDOLPH-SHEPPARD ACT AND AMENDMENT Public Law 732, 74th Congress, June 20, 1936. 1 Source: Helga Lende, "Federal Legislation Concerning Blind Persons in the United States and Insular Possessions." New York: American Foundation for the Blind, 1958. AMENDMENTS TO THE REVENUE ACTS AFFECTING THE BLIND Public Law 235, 78th Congress, passed House of Representatives, February 24, 1944, the Senate, February 25, 1944. Public Law 471, 80th Congress, passed House of Representatives, April 2, 1948, the Senate, April 2, 1948. Internal Revenue Bulletin, December 30, 1957, pages 41-42. AMENDMENTS TO THE INTERSTATE COMMERCE ACT Public Law 655, 69th Congress, February 26,1927. Public Law 184, 75th Congress, July 5, 1937. WAGNER-O'DAY ACT Public Law 739, 75th Congress, June 25, 1938. POSTAL LAWS AFFECTING BLIND PERSONS H.R. 4304, 55th Congress, March 2, 1899. SOCIAL SECURITY ACT AND AMENDMENTS Public Law 271, 74th Congress, August 14, 1935. Public Law 642, 80th Congress (joint resolution passed June 14, 1948). ORGANIZATIONS OF AND FOR THE BLIND NATIONAL VOLUNTARY AGENCIES SERVING BLIND PERSONS IN THE UNITED STATES American Foundation for the Blind, Inc. American Foundation for Overseas Blind, Inc. American Printing House for the Blind, Inc. Blinded Veterans Association. National Council to Combat Blindness, Inc. National Industries for the Blind, Inc. National Society for the Prevention of Blindness, Inc. National Federation of the Blind, Inc. Association of the Junior Leagues of America, Inc. Delta Gamma Foundation. Lions International. National Braille Club. National Council of Jewish Women, Inc. National Society of the Blind.' Blind Professional Association of America.2 1 Added to the list by the U.S. Office of Vocational Rehabilitation. 2 Added to the list by the National Federation of the Blind. Source: Hilma Saterlee, Directory of Agencies Serving Blind Persons in the United States and Canada, New York: American Foundation for the Blind, Inc., 1959. 1 ASSOCIATIONS OF PROFESSIONAL WORKERS AND COUNCILS OF AGENCIES FOR THE BLIND American Association of Instructors of the Blind. Eastern Conference of Home Teachers of the Blind. Massachusetts Council of Organizations for the Blind. New York State Federation of Workers for the Blind, Inc. LOCAL AND REGIONAL SERVICES UNDER VOLUNTARY AUSPICES Alabama: Birmingham: Institutes for the Handicapped, Inc. Arizona: Phoenix: Phoenix Center for the Blind, Inc. Scottsdale: Arizona Foundation for Blind Children, Inc. Arkansas: Little Rock : Arkansas Enterprises for the Blind, Inc. California: Beaumont: Eye Dog Foundation, Inc. American Brotherhood for the Blind. Braille Institute of America, Inc. Nursery School for Visually Handicapped Children. San Francisco Lighthouse for the Blind. La Vista Club for the Sightless. Community Center for the Blind, Inc. Colorado: Denver: Adult Blind Home and Association for the Blind. District of Columbia: Blinded Veterans Association. Children's Hospital of the District of Columbia. Columbia Lighthouse for the Blind. Washington Home for the Blind, Inc. Washington Society for the Blind. Florida: Jacksonville: Blind Children's Foundation. Miami Florida Association of Workers for the Blind, Inc. St. Petersburg: Community Center for the Blind, Inc. Hawaii: Foundation for Visually Handicapped Children, Inc. Honolulu: The Volunteer Service Bureau. Idaho: Boise: Live, Inc. Hope School for Multiple Handicapped Blind Children. Winnetka: Hadley School for the Blind. Indiana: Evansville: Evansville Association for the Blind Des Moines: Iowa Home for Sightless Women. Kansas: Wichita Kansas Foundation for the Blind, Inc. Kentucky: Louisville: American Printing House for the Blind, Inc. Louisiana : New Orleans: Association for the Development of Pre-School Blind Children. Shreveport Shreveport Association for the Blind, Inc. Maine: Bangor: Penobscot County Association for the Blind. Maryland: Silver Spring: Lions Club Pre-School Nursery for Blind Children, Inc. Massachusetts: Boston: A Center for Blind Children. Boston Aid to the Blind, Inc. Camp Allen, Inc. Catholic Guild for the Blind, Archdiocese of Boston. Christian Science Publishing Society. Massachusetts Association for Promoting the Interests of the Adult Blind. National Braille Press, Inc. Protestant Guild for the Blind, Inc. Danvers: New England Home for Deaf Mutes (aged, blind, or infirm). Lowell Lowell Association for the Blind. Watertown: Howe Press of Perkins School for the Blind. Worcester: Memorial Homes for the Blind. Michigan: Detroit: Detroit League for the Handicapped, Inc. Flint Flint Goodwill Industries, Inc. Grand Rapids: Association for the Blind and for Sight Conservation. Rochester: Leader Dogs for the Blind. Romulus: Penrickton Nursery School for Visually Handicapped Children. Minnesota : Duluth Duluth Lighthouse for the Blind. Lutheran Braille Evangelism Association. St. Paul: Minnesota Organization of Blind, Inc. Missouri: Joplin Joplin Association for the Blind. Kansas City: Kansas City Association for the Blind. St. Louis: Blind Girls' Home, Inc. Delta Gamma Foundation for Pre-School Visually Handicapped of St. Louis, Missouri, Inc. |