New-York tribune., 1910-10-03
PRISON congress OPENED
Thirty-nine Countries Represent
ed at Washington Meeting.
wlcKERsHAM'S WELCOME
Attorney General Urged the Sys-
tematic Visitation OF Penal
Institutions.

~vseb,,r+o- Oct. with delegates pres
.,+ s-o-, thi-tv-niae foreign countries. the
-r+s--srfonal Prison Congress assembled
hare to-day with much form and ceremony.
s+-o-nev General TVickerham officially wei
coraes the distinguished visitors 10 the
United States on behalf OF the President,
sna briefly addressed them on the prog
-ess toward the prevention OF crime 1'-.3r
81 this country since the LAST congres
Budapest. n 1906
Rscll ce BeIlye. OF Budapest, former
president Of the congress, responded N
French. paying 3 glowing tribute TO George
Washington and the American people In
general and thanking the Americans fo-
rhs splendid reception they had accorded
she foreign delegates since their arrival
On these shores.
Complaint that the police often were
700 hasty about putting persons into Jails
was voiced by Charles r. Henderson, PRO
sessor Of sociology IN Chicago University.
during his opening address as president
Of the congress
The keering Of first offenders IN jail
even one night where Il might have been
avoided often eccomplishes irreparable
moral injury" exclaimed Professor Hen
6ersou. with emphasis. u am afraid that
many persons have been started on careers
Of crime by being subjected needlessly TO
the humiliation Of temporary Incarceration
tn city prisons"
EXPRESSING the opinion that z great
change had occurred IN the attitude Of
civilized communities toward the subject
Of prevention OF crime, Attorney General
Wfckersharn IN his address declared that
modern legislation sought not simply to
deter BY making an example OF offenders
but by convincing the offender OF the Wis
dom OF obeying the law. and by so doing
restore him TO E useful status IN society.
The adoption by Congress in March.
1865. Of & revised code OF penal laws codi-
fed end clarified the legislation defining
snd prescribing punishment for crimes
against the United States government. ana
marks an important step in the direction
OF reducing our law 10 such certainty thaL
tbs legal presumption is that every citizen
knows that the law may be something
other than q pitfall for the unwary," said
Mr Wickersham. "Au over the land you
win find a spirit OF wholesome interest
sn the discharge Of the duties which rest
upon society to deal with the offenders
sgsinst its laws without vindictiveness
and without discrimination"
The Attorney General urged the system
stic visitation OF penal institutions by or
gained non-officisl or Quasi-off1cial bodies.
"AH human experience shows that the
power Of man over man VIII be abused II
uncontrolled" he said. The necessary
and wholesome discipline Of z penal IN
stitution not only furnishes great oppor-
runities for tyrannicaI conduct on the part
OF the prison officials. but renders Il par
ricularly difficult fer prisoner with Just
cause for complaint to obtain redress or
even q hearing Of his complaint There can
be no more effectual guarantee against
sbuse OF power by prison officials than
TIE Liability at any moment TO q visit by an
outside committee or citizen authorized by
law 10 inspect any part Of the establish
-nent and to question alike prisoners and
of6ciels"
Tonight the congress held a joint meet
Sng with the American Prison Association,
~ which addresses were delivered by both
American and foreign delegates.
The congress is meeting in the audi
rorIUrn OF the new marble home Of the
Bureau OF American Republics. II meets
once every FIVE years, but during the forty
years q its existence IL has never before
assembled in this country. The 1915 con
greSs probably viii meet in London.