The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-02-23
JAIL LABOR IN THIS
 CITY SCORED AGAIN IN PUBLIC ADDRESS
Making of Cement Blocks and Leather Sole in Coun- ty Prison Takes As
 An Example.

Secrecy and political n1anipu1a- ton is the basis on which the con- tract system of prison labor, was in augurated and upon which it has been perpetuated,'' said pr. sE. Stagg Whitin of Columbia university speaking Sunday evening at the Peo- ple's Presbyterian church.
 "Let me just bring 8 few of the facts of the contracts at Wethersfeld to your attention continued the speaker.
 ''The Reliance Sterling Manufac- turing company had working for it in September 1918 some 13O men. The state provided the shop room, equip ment, motive power, cartage, and storeroom for the nominal amount labor of the convicts on shirts the state received S4 cents 8. dozen. At the same sprison, the Charter Oak Shoe company gets the labor of not less than 250 men and is granted the use of six shop runners free of charge. The state furnishes shop room, heat and instructors and re- cetves for the labor of 300 hundred men 61 cents day, while for all over the 800 the rate is 30 1-2 cents Q day.
 'sIt would seem, according from from that report. that in September s1913s the state of Connecticut was penalized at the rate of 30 1-2 cents a day for each convict employed by the Charter Oak company in excess of 800 and why this situation should exist your commission does not tell you, and believe it is up to the citi- zens of Connecticut to find out.
 "A report just issued by the secre- tary of labor of the United States entitled federals and state laws re- lating to convict, labor points out that in your own jail at Bridgeport, where leather soIes and cement blocks are. made by the inmates. there is no ac-s count of the value of their products why this should be so is also another question for the citizens of your city to determine.
 Another problem that is for you to solve is why the company which only pays 4 cents a day for making cents g. day for this same labor in Rhode Island.
 we believe that every atate should conduct its own industries, the products of which can be used by the different institutions of the state and it's subdivisions: that it is the duty of the state to employ compe- tent instructors to teach the inmates of our penal Institutions useful occu- pations of which they can take ad- vantage upon their discharge from the prison.
 saThe argument is advanced in Connecticut that 1t would cause too radical a departure in your methods conducted in your penal Institutions where the change to be made at once from the present system to the state use system.
 ''That this belief is fallacy is amply demonstrated by report of the State Board Of Charities made. to the Connecticut legislature in 1918, which embraces the years of 1911- 1912. This report shows that there were 6 5 items of expense for mainte- nance, supervision, etc, 55 of which are institutions recefcing the encr- mous amount of $1,331. .64O.6s.
 ssIn view of these figures is it not fair to ask, isn't this Q pretty good market for the output of your pris- ons? And, remember, this is only one department of public expendi- ture where commodities made in the prisons could be used.
 eff the people of Connecticut are determined or desire any change in the present lack of system they will give their support to a bill known as House Bill 523, which was introduc- ed in the present legislature by MT. German of Danbury and is now in the hands of the committee on state prison