Evening star., 1937-12-21
HEARING SOUGHT
ON BLIND PROTEST
Transfer of II Stands in
Public Building Resisted
by Group.

A hearing before the Office of Edu-
cation of the Interior Department will
he requested to stay the order direct
ing transfer of II stands operated by
blind persons in public buildings from
the jurisdiction Of the Columbia Poly
technic Institute for the Blind, Inc,
to the Vocational Rehabilitation Serv-
Ice, as a result of a protest meeting
held last night by the operators.
French Hufty, superintendent of
the institute, said today the blind
operators adopted resolution urging
that the order, scheduled to become
effective January l, be halted Under
the shift, he declared, the blind op-
orators will be charged per cent
on their gross receipts for supervision
and in addition will pay 10 per cent
on the cost Of new stands to be erected,
plus 6 per cent interest. He explained
that. this 10 per cent will be paid
indefinitely and that the blind opera
tors never will own the equipment.
Opened by Institute.
About four years ago the stands
were opened by the institute. Mr..
Hufty said, adding that he was told
by an official Of the rehabilitation serv-
ice that the projected change would
not affect stands under the insti-
tute's Jurisdiction. Then, he said,
Unexpectedly came the notification
IN the form OF letter from Charles
A. Peters, jr., assistant director of the
National Park Service, in charge of
public buildings.
I'VE think it is very unjust when
we paved the way for the passage
OF the Randolph-Sheppard act, deal
ing with the blind operators of stands
IN public buildings, to take jurisdic-
tlon away from the institute now"
SAID Mr. Hufty, explaining that his
organization receives part of its funds
from Congress.
Several years ago, he said. the Re-
Mobilization Service was asked To sun-
ply stands for the blind, but did not.
SIX weeks after the institute had re-
ceiped appointment from the Rehabili-
taolon Service to set up the stands he
declared, II stands were in opera ton,
He explained that there are now but
IL stands, because some of the tempo
rary buildings in which the others
were nave been torn down to make
way for new structures.
Welfare Group in Charge.
The Welfare and Recreational As
soclatlon OF Public Buildings and
Grounds, Inc. maintains stands and
cafeterias in most of the Government
buildings, Mr.. Hufty said, but the
Of1ce of Education is not disturbing
them
AT last nights session, at the insti-
tute, Vincent L. Toomey, legal adviser
TO the institute, read the Randolph
Sheppard Act, under which the Gov
ernment Is empowered to supervise the
stands. The blind operators told the
meeting that they have, altogether, 40
dependent upon them. j. Beuchert.
who operates the stand in the Social
Security Building, 1924 F. street NV.
has two dependents and declared that
before his stand was erected he had
obtained the sanction of several Off
cials in the building Once of Edu-
cation spokesmen contend that many
OF the present stands are insanitary
and out Of date.
Under the new plan, officials of the
Rehabilitation Service propose to have
new stands erected under the supervi-
sion of the Welfare and Recreational
Association, which will also stock them
Tor the blind operators.