Lions Clubs Place Emphasis
On Sight Conservation, Service
“A blind child can lead a bon. eas
ily,” stated John Jensen, district
36-0 deputy governor, who further
stated that while humanitarian and
civic activities of 18,000 clubs in
Lions International embrace a wide
field, in 36-0 there is special empha
sis on service to the blind.
At the 1925 international conven
tion, Miss Helen Keller, known as
"the angel of the blind,” appealed to
the delegates for greater Lions par
ticipation in sight conservation and
service to the blind, Moved by her
address, the convention adopted a
resolution making blind work a ma
jor activity of Lions International.
Today Lions International is known
all over the world as a leading a-
gency for service to the blind and in
the field of sight conservation. Lions
clubs make major contributions to
Leader Dogs, the Hadley School for
Oernonia Eagfe
4
THURSDAY, FEB. 25, 1965
the blind, rehabilitation centers and
sight conservation clinics. Many pur
chase sight testing equipment for
schools.
The 42 Lions clubs in district 36-0
belong to Oregon State Lions Sight
Conservation Foundation. Inc, This
is a non-profit organization dedicated
to the conservation and restoration
of sight, and to the social and econ
omic betterment of the visually han
dicapped.
Lions clubs throughout the state of
Oregon supply the complete financial
support for the Foundation. A major
source of income comes through sale
of tickets to the annual Portland
Beat, Trailer and Sport Show at the
Memorial Coliseum. Lions get a
share of the tickets sales they make
and proceeds are turned over to the
Foundation. Last year it totalled
more than $6000. This years Show
is underway this week, February 28.
The Sight Conservation Foundation
uses a substantial portion of the mon
ey for Devers Memorial Eye Clinic
at Good Samaritan hospital. Devers
clinic was established in 1959 from
funds willed by Mrs. Arthur H. De
vers whose husband died before her
and stipulated in his will that the es
tate was to go to Good Samaritan to
establish a clinic for persons who
could not afford treatment.
Last year more than 6,000 patients
were treated. Resident physicians
attended the patients without charge.
However, there is continuing need for
funds to expand such services as
eye surgery, drug therapy, ocular
disease therapy, eye bank, comeal
transplants, visual examinations with
eye glasses and corrective training
and eye research.
Other funds to help the blind come
from White Cane Week in May of
each year when Lions clubs and local
chapters of Oregon Council of the
Blind sell miniature White Cane lapel
pins. One-fourth of the money from
these sales goes to the Sight Conser
vation Foundation and the balance
to the Oregon Council of the Blind.
Besides helping the visually handi
capped in the clinic, the Lions also
provide recorded books, tape record
ers and braille writers which operate
much like a typewriter. It types in
braille making it possible for a blind
person to read what he has typed.
This is only a small measure of the
good works done by Lions clubs
which shows they mean more than
good fellowship and social life. The
driving purpose of Lionism is to
recognize community needs and de
velop means of meeting them either
through its own efforts or in coop
eration with other agencies.
Each club has its individual pro
jects to meet the needs of the area.
Lionism, however, lias an interna
tional scope with clubs in over 125
foreign countries. In this phase there
is the Youth Exchange program of
Lions International which sponsors
visiting students from foreign lands.
“The Lion”, official monthly pub
lication of Lions International, has
more than one-half million circula
tion and is printed in 11 languages.
Lons International is one of 25
member agencies of CARE (Coopera
tive for American Remittances Ev
erywhere) and is represented on its
board of directors.
Lions International is one of 25
closely with the United Nations since
its inception in 1945 and occupies an
advisory status in the Economic and
Social Council of the UN.
Lions are truly interested in vision.
Not only for the physically handicap
ped, but also for wider vistas in the
problem of International relations.
E&B LAUNDRY and
DRY CLEANBRS
The Vernonia Eagle
[
the beer of good taste
“Ztó the Water'
Olympia Brewing Company, Tumwater, near Olympia, Washington. ‘ Oly ** 5-65
A MESSAGE IN THE
PUBLIC INTEREST
FACT:
In Oregon, high
speed passenger
tr a in s o p e r a te
safely w ith two
men in the cab.
about repeal of the 1913
Excess Freight Train Crew Law
being considered by the
1965 Legislature.
QUESTION:
Why must freight
trains have three
men in the cab?
ANSWER:
Because of Oregon’s antiquated
Excess Freight Train Crew Law!
This 1913 law dictates that a fireman
must ride in a freight locomotive with two
other men—the engineer and head brake-
man, but modern diesel engines have no
fires for the fireman to tend.
Safety First: National
Arbitration Board found
Fireman not required
The National Arbitration Board, estab
lished by Congress, found that firemen
are not necessary on diesel freight trains
from the standpoint of either work load or
safety. The Board found that the head
brakeman, who also rides in the freight
train cab with the engineer, performs the
lookout function and can stop the train
in an emergency.
Collective bargaining agreements
should settle disputes
Let Oregon compete...
Let’s get back on the track!
In recent months agreements have been
reached between railroad management
and labor pursuant to the National Arbi
tration Award. This is how such issues
should be settled, yet the old Oregon law
prevents such settlement in our state.
The locomotive engineers union and
the trainmen’s union just withdrew their
opposition to repeal of crew laws in the
eastern states. These unions did so after
reaching agreements with 23 eastern rail
roads. Do you suppose those unions would
have agreed to anything other than
working conditions? Of course not!
safe
Oregon should get in step
with the nation
In 45 states, freight trains operate with
just two men in the locomotive. When
these trains reach the Oregon border, two
extra men get aboard. One extra man rides
in the locomotive; the other extra man
rides in the caboose. This old law is a
handicap to Oregon’s economy—a handi
cap that industry wants to remove—a han
dicap that can be removed by our 1965
Legislature.
Job security will be protected
The railroads of Oregon have given their
assurance that if the excess freight crew
law is repealed by the 1965 Legislature,
firemen and trainmen will have the follow
ing protection:
No fireman with more than two years’
seniority on January 25, 1964, and who
was regularly employed on that date, will
lose his employment relationship by rea
son of the repeal of this Act, except
through his own election.
No trainm an regularly employed on
January 25,1964, will lose his employment
relationship by reason of the repeal of this
Act.
Jobs of protected employees will be
eliminated only as such employees resign,
are promoted, retire, die or leave railroad
service for other reasons.
THE RAILROADS OF OREGON
Great Northern Railway
Northern Pacific Railway
Northern Pacific Terminal Co.
756 Bridge St.
— Also. Shoe Repairing —
Two-day Service
CASH & CARRY
S. P. & S. Railway Company
Southern Pacific Company
Union Pacific Railroad Company
Paid A dw .rtl».m .nt Oregon Railroad A it o c i.tion, L O. M lll.r , M anager, Henry Building. Portland, Oregon