Evening journal., 1918-03-12
A BLIND soLnIEWs stony.

A BLIND SOtpiENS SIOh1.
Editor OF THE EVENING JOURNAL:
sir-Early in January a blind soldier
entered the oflces Of Paris newspaper
and asked to see the editor When
ushcred into his presence, he saluted
and stood at attention. The kindliest
efforts OF the editor to induce him to be
seated were unayailing. The visitor said
be would take up only a few minutes
OF the great mans time and apollgized
III few digniled phrases for his in
trusion.
"What brought me here, he went on,
"is this / have a wife and three chill
dren We had a home in a village
that Is now In ruins and occupied by
the boches. My little family escaped
before the invaders got there. When
was conNale cling in the hospital, having
lost both OF my eyes, they came TO
Paris 10 be near me. Paris was as
good a place as any other, and NE have
got TO settle somewhere. But VIII you
believe it, we have not been able TO
procure lodging where we could es-
tablish another little home No land
lord win rent to us. They seem TO
think that a blind soldier with a family
OF little ones, and poor, is undesirable
as a tenant Perhaps they are right,
but what can we do2 w can't con-
tinue to pay board-we can't AFFORD it,
and we have got 90 20 somewhere. ]
never In my life before have asked
living soul 20 assist me, but with my
family / am helpless. 1 have come 20
you. sir, thinking that perhaps you
would make our plight known 10 the
great generous public, believing that
someone would help us. and others
who may be In a similar extremity TO
locate somewhere"
II was fortunate FOR the editor that
this visitor could not see his face
The great man rose with much loud
and unnecessary shuffing OF his chair
put on his hat and then answered the
soldier, still 'stanSng stfny at attention
With that unfathomable expression
which is seen only on the faces Of the
blind IN mental anguish, and seems TO
concentrate the patient suffering Of the
world Hrom the beginning OF time .
FCome with me my friend he said
gently.
A few minutes later. editor and SOL
der stepped from an automobile and
were escorted at once info the private
ONCE OF Eugene BrieuX, past a long line
Of visitors waiting TO see him, some OF
whose names figure daily in The press
review Of the city's activities
The interview was brief When 10
enied the editor came out smiling and
beamed a greeting TO the persons he
recognized In the waiting line as. his
arm In that OF the blind man. he led
him back 10 the waiting car. AS to
4hn cr1Ifors hfa tffearo tst1a urt az, Ion, 90
cal as ever: but close observer would
have noted that there was lighIness in
his step as he strode forward into the
Cimmerian blackness that stretched be-
fore him to the unguessable limit Of
his life. M
The next day words that scared the
page. made the printers ink to slzzle
and burned themselves into the hearts
OF men appeared In the leading article
Of the Figaro. , But meanwhile NJ
Brieux had seen the chairman OF the
executive committee Of the American
British-French-B Belgian Permanent Blind
Relief War Fund, and the upshot Of
1t all was that several surprised and
ovfrioyed families Of blind soldiers with
little or no money and without belong
inps, and therefore undesired by land
lords. were installed In a building at
IA -Garenne-C -Colombesg near Paris, where
The blind men and all the members OF
their families who are old enough OF
not too aged to work are taught 70
earn their own living As soon as a
family Is self-snpporting lt Is moved
into a little home provided for 10 by
the A. 1B. + B. and started on It's way
equipped with tools and materials and
fully able 90 shift for itself.
The system on which it Is conducted
may be Judged from the following ex-
tracts from the rules, which betray NJ.
Brleux as the author Of them In every
linz.
Workmen and workwomen viii con-
duct themselves in this house Just as
though they were IN their own home
they win Ike TO Keep Il neat and nice
and Will prevent their children from
damaging the flowers and other things
that belong to all In common.
Nolhing Is forbidden that a good
father Of a family would not forbid
himself; nothing win be tolerated that
he would not tolerate"
THIS asylum is only one Of the many
features Uf the work of our fund
whose activities are being constantly
extended as emergencies that cannot
be foreseen present themselves In The
line Of It's unique work The fund is
the i,uhlic's and it is American. main-
talned solely by American money We
ask anybody to "do their Bit for II
and contribute to the extent OF thei
ability.
And why not let this money DO dou-
ble dutyq Why not help our greal
President and government to win the
war by buying War Savings Stamps
and then iurn them over to the Ameri-
an-Britisli-French-Be Permanent
Blind Relief War Fund 10 help IN turn
the soldiers. who have sacrificed their
sight in defense Of the freedom OF The
world7
e>-ss, CORA PARSONS KESSLER,
Honorary Secretary,
$50 Fifth avenue
New York, February 9, 1918.
As TO PENNY HILL.
rIfkr~ ~ rIfIfI1 E,XTNT,TC T0TrpN At