Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1914-12-13
BETTER FOR CONVICTS
TO WORK ON ROADS
BENEFITS THE STATE AND
ALSO THE PRlS
0NERS.
I0WA'S MODEL SYSTEM
Each Prisoner Is Paid $3.50 n
Day for His Work on
Roads.

"The nouyicts working ON the roads
I'm Iowa have a status differing f..
that of the cOnyicts i'm the prisons of
practically all other states sud
George Gordon Battle, the distlu-
guished New York attorney, who ap-
pearod on behalf OF the national com
mittee on prisons and prison labor
In a suit 10 test the ConstitutiOnalit
NJ the contract system OF convict labor
IN the state of Rhode Island,
In Iowa the men working on the
roads receive $3.50 per day Tor their
labor, they themselves paying for
their keep and clothing ana being AT
liberty 20 send the balance 10 their
dependent families. They are stlll
under restriction, but their right 20
wage lifts them ont OF the slavery
status into that Of state wards.
'''rhe condition OF these Iowa con
viCts is in sharp contrast To that OF
the prisoners IN Rhode Island. lu
the latter state the labor Of A. least
two hundred and nifty OF the prisoners
is let by contract 10 a firm of smu
manufacturers Tho state supplies
the factory room light heat and
power necessary and pays for trans
pOrtation OF materials and mauufac
tlred articles from and 10 the rail-
road station. The contractor supplies
the machinery material and superi-
sion necessary 20 keep these prisoners
employed, and pays the state 80 cents
for each dozen shirts manufactured.
The prisoner is forced 20 labor under
the terms Of this contract and rc.
ceiyes no wage for his labor
THE national committee on prisons
and prison labor contends that tho
condition Of the prisoners working
under this and every other prison con-
tract is slavery, careful study proves
II analogous to the condition Of the
negro slave before the Ciyil war, and
in accordance with slavery as de
fined by the supreme court OF the
United States.
Slavery is prohibited by the con-
stitutiCn of the state of Rhode Island
without the exception as to punish
ment for crime found In the federal
and most OF the state constitutions.
The committee therefore claims that
the statute authorizing tho state board
of supply and control 10 let the labor
OF the prisoners by contract is in con-
flict with the state constitution, and
the contract therefore Illegal.
ITO secure an opinion from the
courts, the committee is backing an
eX prisoner in his suit against the
prison contractors for wage for his
labor while IN prison. The committee
hopes through this case 70 forward
the movement for the abolition OF the
contract system of convict labor, not
only in the state OF Rhode Island, but
throughout the country, and also 10
show the right Of the convict 10 re
ceiye q fair wage for his labors,
through which he can contribute 10.
wards the support OF his dependc0'
family.
The action Of many states In plaC-
Ing those prisoners who can be trust
ed out TO work on the roads is In line
with this forward movement. On tho
roads the prisoner can do work which
! has value great enough to permit the
payment Of the wage Iowa has
/ proved the plan practical; West Nir-
ginia, New Jersey and other states
are successfully passing through tho
| experimental stage, while many more
states will enact legislation permit
| ting such work during the coming
| sessions OF the legislature.
The national committee on prison
/ labor" Mr. Battle concluded. Stands
! firmly behind this road work, wner
| it Is conducted under conditions fan
/ TO the prisoner and the free working
man, and hopes in the next few years
! TO see honor men making good roads
! everywhere throughout the country.