Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1914-02-04
Grant corby Scores Present System of
Handling Unemployed, and Says It
Means Crime.
MANY WEARING STRIPES ARE
NOT CRIMINALS, HE SAYS
Feeding Man Stale Bread and Other
Unwholesome Food and Jailing
Him for Days Not Reform.

mat the industrial problem is a vi.
tai question now facing the general pub
lie both in Salem and elsewhere and is
looked upon as serious not only by Bis
hop Bell and other eminent orators on
the topic but by local people as well,
was made known last evening in the
following interview given out by At.
torney Grant Corby upon the subject.
Attorney Corby was formerly city at
torney of Salem and is conceded to be
one Of the most experienced criminal
lawyers in the city, having had much
experience along that line:
In our wise discussion of the pres
ent condition of the industrial situation
in this country, we are fain to exoner-
ate the real powers that be by blaming
the poor cuss who happens to have lost
his job and who cannot get back for
the reason his place has been filled by
a more favored one; 50 favored by rea-
son of mere prejudice, political indebt.
edness or simply perhaps, not on the
right side of the employers particular
hobby.
"It seems to me that the people who
are SO anxious to delve into the inner
most causes and conditions which are
tending to bring about cramped and
apparently uncalled-for stringency in
the industrial world are overlooking
the fact that the different municipal
governments are largely responsible.
Raps Certain Laws.
Although I do not profess to have
expert knowledge on the social and
industrial up-lift movement which is
being furthered in most every city in
the country, / want to say right here
that our present laws-I mean, by our
laws, the ones in Salem-are making
criminals out of men, let alone keep
ing them from honest employment.
For instance-a poor man beats
his way down the valley and happens
to be dropped off in Salem. He may
be industrious, capable, honest and
perfectly willing to work. He fails to
find even sufficient labor to earn a
meal. He is hungry. He needs shelter
and it finally comes to the point where
he must have these simple things or
pass in his checks. Well, the last and
only recourse left is to beg. He asks
a pedestrian for dime with which to
buy a cup of coffee and piece of
pie. Then (here is where the laws
come in) he is arrested, taken to Jail
and locked up and fed on stale bread
and staler bacon with a raw cup of
cheap black coffee TO wash the un-
wholesome food down, and finally,
when the magistrate finds time to
perch himself behind the bench, the
"prisoner is brought forth and asked
if he can explain why he is a vagrant
and whether or not he has a valid
lease on life. Failing to lie fast enough
to convince the court that he is a man
of high distinction, has influential
friends and relatives and holds a high
public position, the man without work
is then given five days-five days for
what2 Compelled to spend five days
in a moth.eaten Jail room and live on
stale bread and questionable bacon and
coffee for the reason he has no money
no job and nothing to eat.
Jail Does Not Reform Him.
"That man, if he be any man at all
leaves that Jail in frame of mind
not at all pleasant. He thinks (and
is about right, too) that the public will
not grant him chance to work and
live like other and more fortunate
ones. He gets determined and finally
decides that inasmuch as the law viii
not give him an opportunity to fine
something to do, he will find it any
way and goes into another business
besides hunting honest labor,
'fThe public seems to have gone mac