2/27/59

TO: im, Kelly

7p

Inclosed is a letter for Congressman
Fogarty, a statement for his use in
oLLT, and a summary
of the cost of the studye If any
questions occur te you, please do not
hesitate bo call me at my home on

Saturdays My number is COlumbia 55313,

 

ga

Sincerely,

] .,
Van [> Sohe_ _

Irvin Pe Schloss

FROM: AMERICAN FOUNDATION FOR THE BLIND
** MA. C. MIGEL, Chairman, Board of Trustees JANSEN NOYES, Jr., President *GEORGE F. MEYER, Vice-President

* Blind

* Dereased

EUSTACE SELIGMAN, Secretary J. P. MORGAN, Il, Treasurer

AMERICAN FOUNDATION FOR THE BLIND, Inc.

15 WEST 16TH STREET * NEW YORK 11,N. ¥. * WATKINS 4-0420
CABLE ADDRESS: FOUNDATION, NEW YORK

HON. DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER, Honorary President

*M. ROBERT BARNETT *HELEN A. KELLER, L.H.D., LL.D.

Executive Director Counselor, Bureau of National and International Relations

WASHINGTON OFFICE
INVESTMENT BUILDING - ROOM 442
1511 K STREET, N. W.
WASHINGTON 5, DB. c,
TELEPHONE NATIONAL G-5306

ep, George Kelly

Room 11.33

New House Office Building
Washington 25, De Se

Dear Mr. Kellys

I am enclosing six copies of a statement for Congressman Fogarty's possible
use on behalf of H.R. 5213 before the Subcommittee on Special Education on
Monday, March 9, The statement is the same as the one used by the Congressman
in introducing the bill except for the revision of the first sentence, the
change of "my colleagues" to "you", addition of a sentence about the housing
of the Commission at the end of the next to last paragraph, and the addition
of a final sentence.

In the event Congressman Fogarty will have an opportunity to testify in
person before the Subcommittees and is asked about the other study commission
bills (HeR. 356, introduced by Rep. Carl Elliott, and HeR. 1855, introduced
by Rep. D. R, Matthews}, I should like to outline what we consider the
shortcomings of these bills.

He. 356—=mThe Plemember Commission is unnecessarily large. The scope of

the study is too broad, taking in all voluntary agencies in work for the
blind and the medical research aspects of prevention of blindness. Thus,
the $200,000 authorized for the entire study is woefully inadequate, As
there are in excess of 350 voluntary agencies for the blind in the United
States, and as it would take a good-sized staff to evaluate the programs of
the more than 20 guide dog agencies alone, we estimate that so broad a study
would cost in the neighborhood of $1,000,000 if it were to be done properlye

HeRe 1855=eThe objectivity of the nine=member Committee provided for in this
bill would be subject to question. The majority of the Committee would
consist of the representatives of special interest groups in work for the
blind. (I could actually name the individuals who would inevitably be
chosen.e) The study provided for in this bill is also too broad in scope for
the amount of money ($250,000) which would be authorized to carry it oube
Any study woich includes voluntary agencies in its scope would have to get
into the question of fund-raising practices and ethics as well as program
justification, Fund raising is a major study in itself, The Subcommittee
on Legal and Monetary Affairs of the House Committee on Government Operations
began a study of fund raising by national voluntary health and welfare
organizations toward the end of the last session of Congress and is expected
to resume its investigation this yeare

Please see reverse side
Our reason for advocating a definitive study limited to Federally-supported
programs except for medical research (HoRe 593) is that it represents a
realizable objective in terms of the cost of the study and the basic pro»
grams which affect the life of every blind person in the country.

Also to be considered by the Subcommittee next week is Hof, 1h, introduced
by Repe Walter F. Baring of Nevada, and its 55 companion bilis. ‘These
bills were introduced at the request of the National Federation of the
Blind, I did not include any comments on this legislation in the draft of
Congressman Fogarty's statement. In our testimony, we will point out that
we consider He. 1) unnecessary legislation, in view of Constitutional
guarantees of the rights of individuals; that the vill represents a symptom
of the problems in services to blind persons; that the bLLL if it became
law would compound these problems, not cure thems and that we propose
instead a study of the type provided by H.R. 523 as a means of authoritatively
and factually establishing what inadequacies exist and of recommending ways
to correct the inadequacies.

PE

Once again, may I express our appreciation to Congressman Fogarty and to you

for your intereste

Bincerely yours,

 

es

Irvin P, Schloss
Legislative Analyst
Washinston Office
rps/nd

Enclosure