Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1900-06-24
A TALK ABOUT HOPELESS MEN.
MEN WHO HAVE ONCE DONE WRONG
ARE TREATED AS THE WORST
oUTCAsTs SOCIETY CAN
PRODUCE.


oy Ers. AaIltn8ton BOOTH
The first prison that visited In tnis
country was Sing Sing, and I knew
nothing then Of what is called the
prison problem" Anything that /
have learned OF II since have learned
from my boys. I only knew on that
first visit when looked down into the
faces of the audience before me that
l saw written there hopelessness and
longing. I knew that in the future
there might be a retrieving of the past
by a brave manly struggle to regain
the self-respect which many of them
seemed to think had gone forever.
In ten State prisons there are 5000
men wearing the little badge which
says: Look UP and hope" There is
fight to be fought and victory 70
be won. And the battle must be begun
within the prison walls.
Many men have said to me: II am
going to do right as soon as get out
If the resolve IS worth making 1t is
worth making now. II the battle is
worth winning II is worth winning
now. Don't walt until you get out TO
be free. There are letters stronger
than iron, there are prisons more con-
flning than these walls.
1t is the binding Of the soul by soms
vice or some weakness that makes men
prisoners. and there are many men
walking about the streets who are
more absolutely bound than a man
chained In prison cell.
One of the things chat have set my
self to fight Is the word "ex-convict-
That is cruel, unjust. un-American
word. When man Is suffering the
penalty OF hrs crimes he is a convict.
but when he has made his reparation
TO society how cruel 1t is to call him
an ex-convict. The moment he has
served his sentence ne is free man
and no one has the right to attach that
stigma 70 him.
| will go from Christian church TO
Christian church untfl this wrong Is
rlghted. and will appeal 20 the hears
OF all Christian people TO help make a
chance for those who have been IN
prison. In the Volunteers We never
use that phrase. We have a much bet
ter one. | think. We call the men
who have been released from prison
graduates.
For they are graduates. for surely
this is the hardest school in which
men oan learn the worlds hard lesson.
told my husband once that | could
never enter prison again until II was
possible for me TO do something for the
man who served his time and is try
ing to lead an upright life. know
what that means. know OF the
sneers of the world. of the efforts to
railroad" men back TO prison and OF
the barriers that are raised on every
side against the man who is trying 10
do right.
The reporters have come to me and
said:
I'VE would like to see your Hope Hall
and have our artists make some sketch
es OF IT,"
And I have replied
q am sorry gentlemen, but as you
have not served term in prison. | am
compelled to refuse you admission"
The detectives havo come there. too,
and have said they would like TO talk
to me about some OF the men there.
have told them that they might zee me
at my office, but that that house be-
longed 10 my boys and they could noe
enter. And no detective has ever
learned word from my lips about any
man who has ever come to us or who
has ever trusted me with his conf
dence. That is not my business.
ANY man who comes 20 Hope Hall
is welcome 70 stay there until we have
found him permanent employment