The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1914-05-22
Col. II. j. Slocum Has Trans
formed Men Confined in Fort
LeavenwOrth
CAN PUT $50 GOOD MEN
INTO SERVICE RIGHT NOW
New COmmandant Has Adopted
Modern Methods in Dealing
With His Charges

22.-In case OF trouble with Mexico
the ever-present question here just
now-this post is going to surprise
the war department by turning lnin
active service $50 irstclass nghtlhg
men who have, up until recenly
been considered just plain Junk Inc
men are In the military prison ana
the transformation from junk TO man
has been made by Col Herbert J.
Slocum, commandment OF the prison
Col. Slocum came TO Fort LeaVen-
worth as commandant OF the prison
last January. For AZ years he has
been a soldier. He is almost 90 years
old and has had the privilege of re-
firing from active service Tor IL
years.
The military prison had been run
ming at almost a dead loss TO the gov
lernment when Col. Slocum arrived.
lIt was under all circumstances pris-
Ion and the only return II was OK
kpeotsd to make was what little work
kcould be gotten out OF the prisoners.
Then, at go years, its new command
liant saw a new interest In life lie
ksav I'm the great prison, with It's
thousand men, most or whom mad
kcommitted no crime except some form
Tor rebellion against discipline-he
lsaw an this institution a great factory.
tThe principal product was the work
the nrisoners did about the army post
grounds and buildings. Col. Slocum
EbeRan a study OF the prison question.
He subscribed for magazines which
:sprinted articles on the subject, and
then thought great deal on his own
part
Results have come quickly. In the
four months this factory has been
under business as well as soldier man
agement the former principal pro-
duct has become very inconsequen-
tial by.product--a mere incident In the
new process. The principal products
under the Slocum management are
soldiers and men.
There is nothing sentimental about
it, Col Slocum said. 1t Is simple
business proposition. Compare II to
any business. Here are large num-
Der OF men, ,009 today-who, be-
cause of some small crime, are cast
upon the junk pile and called dead
loss. The government must keep
them until their sentence has expired,
and then they 20 out into the world.
They are a dead loss TO the govern
ment while they are here and worse
than a loss TO humanity when they
get out II, while these men are here
they can be so treated and trained
that they go out into the world good
men or back into the service good
soldiers, isn't II good business? Isn't
IL an economical question? It's just
kNving OF waste matter"
The first conclusion reached by Col.
Slocum when he started in TO reverse
the machinery Of the prison factory
was that collective punishment must
80.
II saw Immediately that each man
was separate problem" the colonel
tsaid. Each is a different kind OF an
equation and must be handled In dit
1erent way. Some OF the prisoners
are guilty OF felonies Some appear
20 be naturally vicious; many are
naturally good men who are here
only for discipline. Where punish.
ment will fail with one II will win
with another.
"The first work was TO build up the
general tone OF the institution. To do
that we started building up the tone
OF the men. We went at their manly
qualities first. You have to build up
the man before you can do anything
with him. II man In not master OF
himself he cannot master other
things. You can't work with a piece
OF broken machinery"
The prison guard underwent a
change az the adoption OF the new
Slocum policy.
I'VE have to have good, responsible
men as guards or we couldn't make
good men of the prisoners" Col
Slocum said. 1.-THE guards must act
as examples. Then the honor sys-
tenn was put into erect. The pris
oners were made to see that change
was being made with their interest
as the paramount issue. All whose
conduct warranted the trust were
placed on their honor.
"Out of this honor roll crack bat
talon OF $50 men was organized. THIS
members OF the battalion are giver
more consideration than less worthy
prisoners and are trained In military
duty almost the same as regularly en-
listed men. As the terms or those II
the battalion expire the vacancies arr
filled from the ranks of the prison
ers. As a result there is a continu
Gus rivalry among the men OUTSIDE
the battalion to be fitted for the mex
vacancy. Eight gangs OF men ar
i
without guards.
Not one OF the men placed on nj
honor has violated the trust" Co
Slocum said. THE number OF thos
who are ready 10 be returned 10 tn
colors now exceeds $50 and Il will b
much larger than that soon. or coars
~ don't ask them 10 re-enlist whei
their terms here have expired. PraC
tically all OF them have slgnihed thei
Intention OF doing so, but maxim
them over Is a good investment
whether they re-enlist OF not"
Col Slocum took a visitor for
walk through the prison grounds an
buildings At one place he polnte
ont q man who had been an office
for ~ years. After that number G
years OF good service he committe
An offense and was sentenced
prison.
1t isn't right 10 call that fello'
Junk. said the commandant There
good IN him and I'll send him bac
q good man and a good soldier an
III make his fellow officers want hji
back. too
IN solitary confinement cell, Co