Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-10-03

A. KHROULEFF,
Chief Of Russian Prison System, Inter-
national Prison Congress-.
The official recommendations of this in
ternational body will then be promulgated
and spread broadcast throughout the
world.
Pioneer in Prison Reform.
That the Netherlands was in the early
centuries European pioneer in prison re-
form was the theme of a public lecture
at the New Willard this afternoon by
Prof. Van der Aa, professor of criminal
law at the University of Croningen. He
traced the rise Of the prison system out of
and away from the atrocious tortures and
abundant executions of the period sue
ceeding the time of the reformation
The first beginnings Of prison reforma-
ton date from the last part of the six
teenth century, said he. "At that time
capital punishment stood at the head of
the list. and corporal punishment in sec
ond place. In 1889 the aldermen of Am
ster'lam objecting to sentence of death
passed upon youth of sixteen, resolved
to erect house where all vagabonds
could be confined and put to work for so
long time as the Justices should deem
ht From this resolution arose the 'rasp-
house and the spinnhouse.'
Principles Outlined.
Prof. Van der Aa then rapidly sketched
the organization of these. houses. point
Ing out that many of the modern reform
principles found expression in the Neither
lands at this early date. There was
classification by sex and by age; SEN
tences were not always definite (thus CIV
ing the earliest known example of the
practice of the indeterminate sentence) :;
the organization was relatively syste-
matte; labor was enforced and productive.
being marvellous contrast to other pris-
ons; there was even school of letters
maintained on small scale. The build
ings and the cells excited wonder in their
their excellence. although they fell far
short of the prison standards of the twen-
t1eth century. Indeed. the epidemics ragged
more fatally outside the 'rasphouse" and
the ''spinnhouse" than inside
discipline was severe" concluded DR..
Van der Aa. yet We must bear in mind
the rough and turbulent character of the
prison population. These prisons melted
many imitatOrs. John Howard, the great
English prison reformer of the eighteenth
Der OF executions and the excellent condi-
ton OF prisons in the Netherlands"
Reception This Afternoon.
The president of the international prison
commission and Mrs. Charles r. Hender-
son will hold an informal reception this
afternoon at ) o'clock for the delegates
at the New Willard.
At O'Clock tonight another public
meeting will be held at which Senor DIR.
Alberto Yoacham Of Chile will make an
address. Brief speeches will be made dur
Ing the discussion.
Following the transaction Of business
tomorrow the delegates will be entertain
ed at banquet .by the American Prison
Association.
Worlds Congress Opens.
The opening session Of the Worlds
Prison Congress was held yesterday aft
ernoon in the new building of the Bu-
reau of American Republics. The fol-
lowing officers were chosen:
Charles r. Henderson, president; Dr.
Guillaume, secretary; Frederick H. Mills
financial director M. Ricki de Bellye
president Of the Budapest congress, was
elected honorary president
President Henderson announced tho on
epointment of vice presidents for the con-
gress and designated ATTORNEY General
Wickersham president of honor of the
congress Ricki de Belize of Budapest
and q: X. Brockway, former superin-
tendent OF the Elmira, n. Y, reforma-
tory, were made honorary presidents. -
The congress will divide each morning
into four sections, reuniting at afternoon
meetings for public discussion OF the work
OF the sections The president announced
that the sections would be in charge
Of the following:
Criminal law. DR.. Adolph Prinz of Bel
gtum; prison administration, DR.. Simon
van DER IA OF Holland: crime preventive
agencies. Sir Evelyn Ruggles Brise of
England; Juvenile delinquency. Miss
Katherine B. Davis Of the University of
Chicago.
AL! announcements were made by the
president in both French and English
The International congress meets once
every hve years, but during the forty
years OF its existence it has never be-
fore assembled in this country. The 1915
congress probably will meet in London
Address by Attorney General.
An address by Mr.. Wickersham was
feature Of the meeting. After reciting
that great change has taken place in
the attitude Of civilized communities to-
ward the subject Of the prevention of
crime owing to the utter failure of the
criminal codes Of the eighteent. century.
the Attorney General said
The adoption by Congress in March.
1903. of revised code Of penal laws
codined and clarified the legislation de-
hning and prescribing punishment 70,
crimes against the United States govern.
the direction Of reducing our law tc
such certainty that the legal presumption
that every citizen knows the law may bt
something other than q pitfall for the
unwary. All over the land you will And
q spirit Of wholesome interest In the dis
charge Of the duties which rest upon 50
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