Library Collections: Document: Full Text


Helen And Henry

Creator: n/a
Date: December 23, 1915
Publication: Life
Source: Available at selected libraries


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HELEN KELLER was named among the recruits for the Ford Peace Expedition, but did not go.

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When it comes to participation in political activities, very much the same results may be had from a phonograph as from Helen Keller. What is talked into her, or read into her, will come out, but she is obviously incapacitated to gather knowledge for herself from the tree it grows on, or to get any other than a reflected view of this world.

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She seems to have opinions on all subjects, and she beats the phonograph in that she imparts her personal sound to the ideas that are entrusted to her. One almost hears her voice as she says in the Call:

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These persons, for the sake of profits alone, deliberately encourage the workers to have large families, that their little ones may be driven to labor, that the factories shall have them.

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Alas, there are no such persons, or not enough to count, and the Evening Post points out that the rise of the factory system has been closely shadowed by the decline of the birthrate.

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Perhaps as a blind leader of the blind Helen belonged with Henry's crew. Peace-making is a blind business; so is war-making. Henry and Helen are two very kind hearts, imperfectly equipped to see the whole of life. Henry called his expedition a crusade, and there was one crusade in which ten thousand virgins were enlisted, but they did not get to the Holy City.

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