Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1913-09-08
WARDEN DECLARES
FREE SPEACH NEEDED
Allen, New Reform Warden at Joliet,
Declares Silent Man Conspires
Within Grim Walls.
HONOR SYSTEM is
PRAISED BY OFFICIAL
Success of Road Work Tryouts This
Year Explained and Stripes Are
Abolished in Pen.
UNITED Press LEASED w1Rr.1

Joliet, ILL.,, Sept. S.-Free speech be-
hind prison walls-they dub it "privi-
lege of conversation us as essential
as free speech in public places as it per-
mits people to "blow off," it acts as
a safety valve, according to Edmund
NJ. Allen, the new warden Of the Joliet
state prison, whose policies for "hu-
manizing" prison administration are
rapidly attracting widespread atten.
tion.
cit is the silent man who conspires, /"
declared Warden Allen today, in ex-
planning his order permitting convicts
to converse with one another-an un-
heard of thing several years ago, and
even today considered preposterous by
many prison heads. "FOrce man into
moodiness by refusing to permit him to
talk to his fellows and he will occupy
his mind plotting. Give him a chance
to air his views among his fellow pris-
oners, roast the country or the prison
administration if he sees fit, and he
will feel contented when he gets
through. Kicking is a great American
privilege and convict feels like
human being when he has chance to
indulge in it to his heart s content" 4"
For Honor System.
The honor system, according to War
len Allen, will some day be in vogue
in very prison in America. He put it
in force when the first gang of con-
victs was sent out on road work near
Dixon under the new state convict la.
Dor law that went into effect July l.
Forty convicts were in the dirt gang.
They will be employed on road con-
struction in Lee county until December
and the warden declared the honor
system is to be used entirely during the
ninety day period.
"There is not a gun in the camp"
said the warden. "Of course, the me1
send out on road work are among the
best prisoners and L would not be
afraid to send them without guards to
China, but I believe there are several
score more like them in the prison
workshops, They know they'll get
chance at outside work if they're good
and they are being good" Governor
Dunno has agreed to commute the sen.
tence of every convict employed with
the road gangs ten days for each thirty
days he is employed.
Father Also Warden.
The new warden SHES at the sugges-
tion that he is reformer." Appar-
emily, he feels that he will be classed
with the "tyros," who enthuse over
their appointment to wardenships, an
nounce the adoption of reform policies
and subsequently abandon them. Allen
knew all about prison life when he took
the job. His father was warden Of the
same prison when the present warden
was boy, and there are "lifers" here
who recall the youngster in knicker-
bockers. One or two Of the TRUSTEES
still call him Eddie"
The banishment of the "silence
rule" was only one Of a number of
changes Warden Allen has wrought in
his uplife policy at Joliet, Prison
stripes were abolished and solid prison
gray substituted Only escaped con.
viets who have been returned and those
who have violated their paroles are dis.
tinguished by clothing from the others,
They wear cross.bar suits of black and
white.
Baseball in Season.
Baseball behind the whitewashed
walls was one of the innovations that
has attracted most attention among Wis.
itors to Joliet, and pennant race is on
that would do credit to any of the big
leagues. Each department Of the prison
has team and there are twelve Of
them in the league, The broom factory
team now leads by scant margin OF
four games over the team from the tan
merry, chiefly by reason Of the prowess
Of one "Red" Corners, who is the
Walter johnson of the prison and
whose victories are more numerous than
his aliases-and that is going some.
cred" is doing short "bit" for
taking money from the wrong pocket
another man sand when he gets out
he says he's going to change his name
and try to connect with some profes.
sional team.
The baseball diamond is laid out in,