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