The Washington herald., 1912-07-28
human that almost each chapter in his
career il a romantic love story.

human that almost each chapter in his
career Is a romantic love story.
MY LIFE IN PRISON: By Donald Lo~rie. Mitchell
Knneriey. New, York City.
Fifteen years an inmate Of the Cal
ifornia state Prison at st. Quentin has
furnished the author with experiences
that furnish the basis for this remark
able book He is once more free man
and has used part of that freedom In
writing this story Of his own HE IN
prison, but his observations OF that OF
others, what he and they endured. the
scenes he witnessed, and his opinion OF
the mingled Justice and injustice OF the
legal treatment Of criminals. His ac-
count appears to be straightforward. He
has little. II any, style or form Of dis
cussion. His tale gains an effect Of sin
certify and truth through its very In
formality.
The author Is of the opinion that there
is wide distinction between criminals
or that few crimes are committed from
choice The number OF professional GRIM
inais. he says, is amazingly small in COM
parison with those whom circumstances
have made lawbreakers. But society
makes no distinction. The man who
| steals because he is hungry or too proud
or squeamish to beg, Is classed with the
thug who waylays you.
The first. We hear the author say Is an
unfortunate human being driven TO COM
NIT an act he may abhor The second
| is dangerous menace to organized So
! ciety. He declares that he belonged to
the former the more professional class,
and that. despite a long term in the
penitentiary he II not yet a criminal fur
thermore, that every vibration of his
mind revolts at the very thought of
crime Yet. he adds. he committed bur-
glary and has a great tolerance for men
who committed crimes. He insists that
he has no idea Of apotheosizing the Of
fender against the law. only he knows
that all men are human, even those in
stripes.
Through page after page OF the story
there is a record of mans inhumanity to
man. of close confinement In loathsome
cells, OF torture by straitjacket and other
methods. OF the maltreatment Of pris-
oners by brutal guards, of sentences for
trivial offenses. of fsvorltism that re-
acts mostly against the weak and help
less prison inmates.
On the other hand. Mr.. Lowrie gives
to the Just and skillful prison official
his award OF praise, though IL Is evil
dent from many details In his tale that
there Is something amiss in the State OF
California. and especially in the mode
Hs great prlsOn- nat
Is, provided he Is telling the truth.
Apparently. there is no good reason
for doubling what he tells US. Methods
at st. Quentin. ct least during the time
OF his forced sojourn there, have been a
careless and reckless disregard OF the
rights OF humanity. even II imprisoned
for crimes committed.
The last pages of the book reveal the
fact that changes have been made dur
ing the past few years
Much that could be written" he says
has been toned down In order to be
entirely fair. or to avoid giving offense
to readers. In every instance where in
div!duals have been mentioned in an un-
complimentary way there has been no
personality involved no desire to wound.
no motive other than that Of showing
the injustices and indignities to which
prisoners have been and may be subject
ed under the present system. That the
time is at hand when prisons shall cease
to be regarded solely as places of pun
ishment and degradation is unquestioned.
All over the United States the people,
and the peoples public servants. are In
teresting themselves in the conduct OF
prisons. and clamoring for more logical
and human methods. Already there hare
been results. The state prisons of Cali
fornia are being conducted much better