Los Angeles herald., 1910-04-10
URGES OPPORTUNITIES
FOR PAR0LED CONVICT
Col. Griffith J. Griffith Discusses
Conditions of Man Who Pays
a Debt to Society

"Most sincerely do 1 hope that con-
ditions in San Quentin have improved
as much as Mr.. Bechdolt seems to
think" said Col. Griffith ]. Griffith,
when shown the article contributed by
the author of 10000" to the San Fran
cisco Call. "If any outsider ever was
in a position to appreciate the need Of
that improvement it was surely Mr..
Bechdolt, for his work was perhaps
the most terrific indictment of life in
San Quentin that ever was framed.
l notice, however, that he attributes
the Improvement entirely to the pres
ent warden, and admits that MIR.
Hoyle has to work against all the old
bad conditions that have made the
prison, as he says, a good example of
the average thug factory In the aver
age commonwealth Meanwhile 1t Is
certain that permanent Improvement
will be precisely in proportion to the
pressure brought to bear by public
opinion, and that the public's attitude
toward crime and the treatment Of
criminals remains as yet practically
unchanged. There lies the basis Of
the trouble.
Here, for example, is letter re-
ten by a prisoner entitled to parole
1t is typical of numbers that come to
my desk This young man has been
in prison since January IL, 1904. He
has earned the right of being paroled,
but writes pathetically that he has
neither money nor friends, and does
not know where to get the guarantee
of employment required by law. Be-
ing obviously ignorant of business he
offers to insure his life and make over
the policy as security for the advance
of some $50 necessary to obtain re-
lease Thinking that l am in the
ranching business. he adds: viii you
let me come and work for you? l am
willing to work for you at whatever
you put me at for three and half
years, for nothing but my board and
clothes. l can save you $50 a month
on your ranch He explains that he
understands the care of horses and
COWS.
''WORTx" THE ONE CRY
"These letters from prisoners con-
tain one invariable cry: How can l
get works? Unfortunately the ques-
ton is one that an Isolated individual
cannot answer.
KNOWING something of convict
homes, and having heard them con-
stantly discussed by prisoners who
have frequented them. do not be-
lieve they are serviceable save as the
most temporary Of stopgaps, and the
herding together Of men who have
been already herded together far more
than is good for them, has many OBJ
jectionable features. Yet it Is GER
tain that there should be some way
of guaranteeing work to those who are
entitled to their freedom, and that 1t
should not be necessary perpetually
to drum up charitably inclined per-
sons to procure it.
"We should be civilized enough, as
1t seems to me, to recognize that the
man who has served his term in
prison has paid in full his debt to So
ciety. I leave out of the question here
the many instances in which society
itself. through it's own stupidities, has
been the real author of the prisoners
misfortunes, and say simply that the
man has paid his debt. He Is en-
titled to O. fresh start, and. somehow
or other, society should guarantee him
that much at least. This it should do
tf only in self-defense, for being de-
MED the opportunity to work the man
is certain to fall into crime once more
and become a vindictive enemy Of and
burden on society.
DRIVEN BACK TO CRIME
Merely to state these cases is to
throw a lurid light on our social struc-
ture as it exists at present, for 1t is
beyond all question that we are
habitually driving back into criminal
courses those who would only too
gladly lead honest lives If given the
chance.
'"I repeat that society, having shut
up a man for years, is in duty bound
to guarantee him fresh start after
he has paid his debt, and there ought
to be enough fair-minded people in
this great state of California to set on
foot the agitation necessary to pro-
cure the needed legislation. Work on
a thousand and one improvements
could be found, and would be found,
by the authorities, If they were only
conscious of the injustice of which
the state they represent is guilty. l
say the authorities because believe
that the state having taken the manis
career in hand. should not consider
its responsibility at an end when 1t
opens the prison doors once more to
let him out. / do not consider the re-
lief of these pitiable cases a proper
subject of private charity, and hold