The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-03-15
nv nAsri. Us ~ u,ur.

n EH JLLiN'' ItwT.icRNr-'s
M paper on p. 80 -'s Il
lVl ceetinyly Interesting, fr-y
etc written IN ,He fascinating
style which crrraJtaT!- 80 o' Na ,v-',-
ings. He has told n ~rc-t ica' o. truth
in these paprrc. HiI general indictment
of the prison system 9. t'' ttitp1
States Goverr nere aid IT, ecFsrll
state rovcrn-rents n-l cgDc al" g.
county jatls will receive H. .utp-se-1 III
Of those who are familiar with no sub
jcct aud cspecic.v thos" who have ~
bored for many years to do away VITA
abuses In prisons.
Unfortunately many ", Mr. Haw-
thorne's statements with reference 20
the prisons are - s.real,, ana so
reckless as lntyi. tis.II - s dGuOt
to his detailed statements Of fact
He Is Wrlt.t y -.t.s.l i.It = i4sfi'Ay
Instinct leads hin, to cSalnl and IN
beillsh his Hcctl'.1 order to rc'Jrc
ltersf. -esv.,. Fg sne- ,I' CO.. tftt;.oa
makes n lmpctk.,i y r0f Mn 20 ,roct
facts m. a.. rrciafAsi .a.d II "a -rio1-,c
way. even thoegh h. RAY have no delih-
crate Intention to Trasrcpfesrat
The papers are full os universal sthte-
ments with reference to prison boards
prison wardens. parole boards. judsc5
and Officers CT the Department of Jus
t.cs. Mr.. Hawthorne gives the impress
sion that Judges OF the criminal courts
are usually unjust, ira ju-.cs do nc.
hesitate TO co1v.c' inTc'rn, mcl. that
one A,to-rsy- General after another has
deliberately wlnked AT cruelty AID per
versions OF Justice. tina; pITo.c boards
heart.essiy cajo,c and deceive prisoners,
that prison wardens arc alr;ns: uniYcr-
sally harsh, cruel, dishoGcr' and un-
truthful, and that prison 90 GERS gen
orally are sncaklrr and corrupt and
take delight in to;turing and abusing
their prisoners.
" does not nppea- from ~. Hlw-
thorno's statements that re ha- ever
visited any prisons except the Trncs
prison II New York and the Jailed
States pc7ten..ary al Atlanta He ncr-
tons four sources OF information. his
own perronai observations. his inter-
course with Ulcers of jus,.cc and prison
officers. the printed reports -, PRISONS
and pubic officers and his personal In
tcrcourse with ~ fellow prisoner, WITH
these limited mans ~ information re
proceed to inalct try a@d oo"v.ct at
the Tar OF pubic cp'n.ca ORC e. % t1'
law anu ~ na4A N'4a't-f y H.+..s sAs IL q
particular.
Mr.. H2wthorae's altitude e., MAD to-
ward prison waraens Is indicated by
the following quotation from h.s paper
Of February Is: Another series OF
reports showed man who beginning
a. reactionary of an extreme type
80 finally felt the pressure Of the
wave Of prison reform adj
5tfsted his reports and addresses So ~
to make himself appear as "A leading
apostle OF the new ideas THIS
warden. whose methods 7 know well. Is
now quoted ass a signal champion Of the
new and more merciful dispensation
though only two or three years ago.
according 10 his own personally written
and signed reports, he was for keep
ing prisoners practically incommuni-
cado Shall We believe that
this mans Professions of a change oi
heart. are genuine or feel surprise tc
discover that at the very moment h. is
rcc3fving VISITORS IN hiS coUluodlous Of
fee upstairs and purring out 10 then
his fathorly affection FOR his prisoners
and denying that the old. had methods
Of repression any longer are tolerated
there are miserable wretches being huns
up by the wrists in dark and no!som'
cells under his feet?" ....
Apparently the very fact of a prison
wardens adopting more humane anC
reasonable attitude toward his pris
oners IL an evidence OF hypocrisy.
Prison Officers are chosen from th'
community at large by Governors o
prison wardenS or ny civil service OK
arpinations fT1pesV aye usually men o
good ,repute. -vhsT~si,er knows per
sonally many prisoh wardens and prison