Omaha daily bee., 1911-10-17
ATHLETIC GAMES ARE FAVORED
Warden Hillstrom Accuses Brother
Wardens Of Being Cowards.
ENVIRONMENT CAUSES CRIME
Red Light Districts and Saloons
Come in for Grueling.
RECREATION FOR PRISONERS
Delegate Declares Plan of Grading
Prisoners Has Done Much to
Perfect system of Disv
cfuIfue.

DifferencO Of opinion as TO society's
right to steriliEe criminals arose in the
National Prison congress Monday TO such
an extent that DR.. D. c. Peyton OF JEFF
fersonville. Ind, In whose prison steril-
isation has been practiced for years, was
indirectly called coward by Warden
Hellstrom Of the North Dakota peniten-
tisry.
DR.. Peyton, IN an address, took the
position that heredity is a more powerful
influence than environment and ended by
saying ''the power OF propagation must
be taken away from the defective man
and woman"
Environment is the prime cause of
crime" replied Warden Hellstrom. DO
away with your redlight districts and
your saloons and educate your children
properly and you will have no more
need OF jails and penitentiaries. The idea
of sterilization is the expression OF a
coward who shrinks from his response
bility TO society. If we are to sterilize
them, let us bark back to the dark ages
and brand them, too, so that every per-
son they meet will know at a glance
that they are criminals"
Recreation for Prisoners.
j. K. Codding, warden of the Kansas
penitentiary, told of base ball and other
recreations for prisoners in his institu-
tion and in the discussion which followed
the general expression was that base ball,
athletic contests, moving picture shows
and other recreations render prison dis
slpline easier by affording opportunity
to reward those who do we'll and to de-
prive of pleasure those who break the
rules.
The statement of Chaplain lie .Cornu
OF Wala Walla, Wash, that Sunday
afternoon In his institution is devoted to
base ball, raised a protest from others,
particularly Warden Codding OF Kansas
and Warden Saunders of Iowa. Mr..
Codding said he didn't let the men play
ball on Sunday because he didn't expect
them 70 advocate Sunday bah when they
got out Mr.. Saunders said his men
played Saturday afternoon; that he would
allow the men to play Sunday II they
couldn't play any other day. -S
Warden James of Oregon said he not
only had base ball games, at which the
men were allowed to root until they
we're hoarse. and weakly moving picture
shows, but he intended this fall TO put
in q gymnasium.
Several wardens said the reason that
prisoners in many prisons are locked up
all day Sunday is that the state is too
stlngy TO hire a few extra guards.
A Colorado woman delegate said the
men in the Colorado prison play base
ball without guards, and in the rock
camps they enjoy themselves at various
sports, without guards, all day Sunday.
Warden Saunders Of Iowa told of taking
eight men. under heavy sentence, 20 a
farm to cut corn. Each one had a long,
heavy corn knife, yet Mr.. Saunders
brought them all back. though he was
unarmed.
Special Training Needed.
The number Of persons in penal insti-
tutions who belong to the class whose
minds have certain amount Of develop
raent, but who are too weak to reach the
fun mental standard OF civilization, wat