The Washington times., 1912-11-02
NEW PENAL CODE
URGED CAPITAL.
Citizens Associations Take Active Interest in Health
Morals, and Public Improvements as Planned
for District

Resolutions affecting the future Of oc-
coquan. the workhouse and farm where
| violators Of District regulations are con-
| fined, and Of the prisoners, were
adopted by two citizens' associations OF
the city last night. while a third. the
| Brookland association. began an inves-
| tigation having In view the protection
Of the health OF the thousands of chill
dren I'm the kindergarten classes OF
Washington.
Before the Park View Citizens AS
ISOLATION, W. II. whitaker, superin-
tend OF the Occoquan institution, plead
ed for support In the proposition to-
revise the District penal code, and
permit Police Court Judges to impose
indeterminate sentences. At the month
ly meeting Of the Citizens Northwest
Suburban Association, opposition to the
establishment Of municipal garbage
plant at Occoduan was voiced.
The Brookland Citizens Association,
after listening to an address on tho
harmful effects OF permitting children
IN kindergarten CLASSES to play on dusty
Gs;,n., floors, decided to institute an investi-
dren OF Washington should be allowed
| buildings.
| The Federation OF Citizens Associ-
Chamber of Commerce tonight, when II
Is expected that the proposed merger
| Of public utilities will be taken UP. 1t
| will be the annual meeting of the fed
Grafton.
The Federation Of Citizens Assoocia-
tions will hold its annual meeting in the
Chamber Of Commerce tonight at
| s o'clock. The election of officers
amendments to the constitution, and
possible changes In the policies of the
| federation are some OF the important
matters to be brought up.
1t Is expected that the federation will
discuss the proposed merger of public
utilities and the Indications are that
some resolution will be passed opposing
| the merger. Ground for this predic ton
is furnished by the fact that the fedora
| tion recently approved plan to estab-
lish a public utilities commission, and
| those who favor this plan are of the
opinion, that the merger should not be
allowed to go through until the pro-
posed commission has been established
and has passed upon the merger propo-
sition.
Representation OF the District In the
House of Representatives.: more ade-
quate requirements for teachers: legis-
lation providing for universal transfers:
| use of public school buildings for citi-
| zens' meetings and other matters of
the meeting.
The special committee from the Cham
| Der OF Commerce to consider the propo-
sition OF Oscar Hammerstein to erect a
4 home for grand opera In Washington at
| cost OF about 500. .Oo0 will meet Friday
at noon In the Chamber.
| Asking for their support in the move
ment to revise the District penal code
so that police judges might i'm
pose indeterminate sentences and adopt
the parole system, W. II. Whitaker. su-
perintendent OF the workhouse at Occo-
1 guam. addressed the Park View Citizens
Association last night in the whitney
Memorial Church. During his address.
Mr.. Whitaker told what had been done
! at occoquan under the present system.
and showed that much greater results
might be obtained II the reforms were
established.
The Park View Citizens Ahsociatio
is a progressive body, composed Of resi-
dents in Park View, the object OF which
| Is to better conditions in every way
| possible. Mr.. Whitaker appeared be-
| fore them to enlist their aid In his fight
for the two proposed amendments.
In speaking OF the occoquan work.
|
stead of. as they would have been
forced to do under old conditions. the
| short-term prisoners remaining idle In
| jails, they have been put to work on
the farm, and have been taught how to
do something useful In the course OF a
year they have at Occoquan. cleared
500 acres Of farm land, built houses,
| barns, stables, and all manner Of strucs
lures, and raised vegetables enough 10
fed themselves. The farm will soon be
MIR. Whitaker wants the indetsrmi-
nate sentence for the man himself.
however. not for the farm. He said he
wanted time to clean the tramp and
and then when he was ready to become
Il useful self-supporting citizen to send
him back into society. With the inde-
terminate sentence 1t would be possible
whereas with the nxed sentence the
petty criminal knows that no power can
keep him In jail when his sentence is
ended and he does not care what hap
pens until then.
MIR. whitaker concluded with the
hope that before long. we would read
| instead OF the news item John Doe
has been sent to prison for Ave years"
! the far more modern item John Doe
to prison.
District Commissioner Cuno. H. Ru-
dolph also spoke briefly. saying that
| he was heartily In favor OF the work
being done by the association and was
ready to do all he could to further 1t.
E. s. Martin delivered a short lecture
on Fairgrounds and offered his services
to the citizens of Park View when the
tine came for the establishment of q
playground in that locality.
Resolutions introduced by Charles c.
Lancaster. president opposing the crea-
ton of a municipal garbage plant at
Occoquan. Va, were adopted at meet
ing OF the Citizens Northwest Sub
urban Association In Masonic Hall
Tenleytown. last night. The associa-
tioon went on record as favoring the
esta blishment of incinerating plants In
the District on the plan adopted by
New York. Milwaukee, and other large
cities.
The Commissioners will be urged by
the association to amend the police
regulations by placing the speed limit
OF automobiles and motorcycles on busl-
ness streets at eight miles an hour
Frederick ]. Heider, who introduced the
resolution and DR.. j. w. Chappell, who
upheld 1t. declared the present speed
laws are frequently violated.
Opposition to the proposed change In
the District code OF laws giving the
jury In murder trials the right to quail
ify it's verdict of murder In the firs
degree by adding thereto the words