Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-03-13
STONE FOR THE ROADS
LABOR LEADER ADVOCATES TIE
USE OF PRISON LABOR.
Director Martin Dodge Discusses the
Effect Of the Detroit and Chi
cago Conventions.

makers, which met in Detroit February ~
and Il, was remarkable in this respect"
said Martha Dodge, director of the office
of public roads Inquiries Of the Agricul-
tural Department. that Mr.. George Burns.
the great labor leader and president OF the
Michigan Labor ERion. advocated the use
of prison labor, efher in building roads
or in preparing material to be used for
hardening their surfaces. He Is the first
great labor leader to advocate this course.
although 1t has been suggested by many
speakers and writer's on this question dur
ing the past ten years. Mr.. Burns sees
that it would be clearly in the interest
Of such prison labor and also in the in
terest of free labor to have the great army
of prisoners, now In the jails in the vari-
GUS states, who are doing no good for
themselves and adding nothing to the COM
monwealth, applied to the road PROPOSE
ton in some form or other,
Use Of Prison labor.
MANY people object to suggestion OF
this kind because they say that the use
of such labor for such a purpose would
have communicating influence in the COM
munity where the work Is done. But TO
avoid such result Mr.. Burns showed how
this labor could be applied in the prepare
ton of material, either brick or broken
stone. where the prisoners could be worked
in Enclosures as they now are. The prod
ucts so produced would not come in con-
tact with free labor as the articles gener-
ally produced by such labor do; conse-
quently by this course you avoid cornpeG-
ton with the manufacturer who offers Tor
sale the manufactured article, or COM
petition with the free laborer who works
to produce these articles, and at the same
time the prisoner Is receiving more useful
instruction, having more heafthful exef-
else, and adding greatly in the course
Of years to the common wealth. II Mr..
Burns idea, which Is undoubtedly sound
and wholesome one, should be adopted by
the labor unions of this country generally.
1t would bring to the road cause very
great and much needed aid.
Meeting of Automobile Makers.
1.-The great meeting Of the automobile
manufacturers Of America, held in Chicago
soon after this Detroit convention, Febru
airy 20 and 81. developed the fact that all
of the automobile manufacturers Of Amer
lea are heartily in favor of some general
plan of road building that shall be appli-
cable to all the states in the Union. Being
unanimous In this view they adopted res
olution indorsing the passage of the Brown
low bill, which provides for a system of
national, state and local cooperation in
the permanent improvement of the public
highways.
Cause of Road Improvements.
'.It Is very evident from the logic OF
events that the time is rapidly approach
ing when the friends of the good roads
cause will be able to unite many forces in
favor Of the general plan of road improve
ment that have heretofore been either in
different or hostile. The labor leaders gen.
orally have been hostile to the idea of APP
plying the prison labor to this work, but
now one of the most progressive leaders
Of organized labor has come forward and
Endorsed in the most hearty and intelligent
way the idea Of applying this labor to the
general welfare of the community by build
ing up the public roads. In order, however,
that this shall be made possible the road
building authorities, In the various states
and counties, must be provided with funds
of money in order to obtain the proper ma
chinery, engineering skill and expert labor.
so as to make use Of the army OF prisoners
who would be put at their disposal under
the new plan. In order to secure this nee
essary fund 1t is more and more evident
that the aid of the national government
should be called in to supply portion of
the money. This Is all provided for by the
Brownlew BILL which was not only Endorsed
by the Chicago convention, but also by
the Detroit convention of American Road
makers. ...E
Brownlow Bill Endorsed.
Every convention met to consider this
question since the Brownlow bill was in
troduced in Congress has given an tndorse-
ment to the bill and urged its passage. It
Is also encouraging to note in this con-
nection that many members of Congress
are in favor of the bill, possibly major
ity, and that the last session of Congress,
just adjourned, increased the appropriation
for the work of the office of public road in
quiries, although the agricultural COM
nittee having the bill In charge in the
House Of Representatives reported 1t back
denying the increase asked for"