New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-03-15
Jail Is School for Crooks,
Saws Tannenbaum, L.W.W. Chief
Young |. w. w. Leader Tells
Experiences on Island,
Gives Illustrations of Con-
ditions There and Says
Truth Could Not Be Print
ed Because 1t Is Too Hor-
rible.
BY JOHN J. LEARI, Jr.

What did my year in prison teach
me?"
Looking me straight in the eye.
Frank Tannenbaum, the boy leader OF
the Industrial Workers of the World
Just released from Il year on Black
wells Island for leading the unem-
ployed into q church last winter, re-
peated my question in the little back
room Of Mother Earth's" office IN
Harlem.
What did it teach me? Mainly that
jails and prisons, as now conducted
are not institutions of correction, but
institutions devoted to the manufact-
ure of criminals. That is one thing,
Another is that 90 per cent Of the
men who go to Jail are of the best
the working class possesses.
THE man in Jail, | found, is more
intelligent. more courageous, more
optimistic and kinder-hearted than the
average worker outside. ! say the
average worker, for the so-callcd
criminal class is recruited largely
from the working class, the middle
and professional classes contributing
very few. The men in Jail are better
men, more natural, more spontaneous,
than those left behind. They 20 to
jail because they cannot adapt them
selves to unnatural conditions.
at is not natural for men to chain
themselves to machines for ten or
twelve hours a day for less than
enough properly to provide for them
selves and their families. At least so
per cent Of the men in jail are there
through actual need They are men
who wouldn't steal If they could get
q decent job.
Longed To BE Honest.
Just before left the prison picked
up library book. What do you sup
pose found inscribed on a back page?
This:
"T have An intense desire to be
honest. To be honest ! will have 90 get
a job soon after | leave this place.
As things are in the city at present
this seems impossible. God help mel
"Can you picture the mental agony
of that poor fellow, whoever ne was?
wonder what became Of him, how he
made out.
Again, one Sunday prisoner came
over to me and said: Frank, | wish |
were like you
whats the matter I asked. is
your conscience hurting you?
"'No, he said. I'm all right. The
only trouble is am thief
"'Why be q thief"
What else can be? The best
can hope for when get out is job on
wagon at s12 week. cannot sup
port my family on that. That would
not buy three pairs of decent shoes. II
had a chance If had a trade!'
"ThOse two men, the unknown writer
in the library book and the downcast
thief, are typical of one-half the men
in prison. -,
being made into criminals by the forces
about them or have been made crimi-
nails by accident-I mean men who get
into Jail by pure accident, and having
been in Jail once remain criminals.
These are men who, if let off with light
fines or suspended sentences, would
have remained useful members OF So
cietv instead of becoming burdens to
J society
Let me tell you the story one man
told me, story | know TO be true.
He's a veteran criminal. Like scores,
hundreds, of the men in the prison, he
had confidence in me and told me his
story. His is typical of all, showing as
it does how q well-meaning lad was
made into crook.
Boy Made Into Murderer.
"T'm a German said this man TO
me. 4 came to this country when /
was little boy. learned the trade of
/ chef, became an expert, and as boy
made good wages. My prospects were
good and life looked bright 70 me at
eighteen. Then misfortune made me n
. criminal, and il has kept me a crimi-
nal. | am now ffty-fve. ! have done
many terms in jail and prison a. the
consequence of a very simple and I'M
/ fortunate accident, of which / am not
70 this day sure | was responsible
alt was on a Sunday and ! joined
a group of boys playing ball at Madi-
son Avenue and Eighteenth Street. As
bad luck had it, the ball flew through
a window, knocking out the eye OF a
woman who stood behind it. ] do not
know who actually threw the ball. One
boy was arrested. To save his skin he
said | was the one. For it | was sent
to Elmira.
Prank, you've probably heard Of
what Elmira was in the old days. 1t
was all you heard and more. In my
time there they used TO hang men up
by their thumbs and lace them in steel
Jackets on the himsiest excuses. |
was a healthy, strong lad. unused to
confinement and not feeling guilty of
any wrong, ! resented this treatment
very much. Consequently ! suffered a
great deal. ! was frequently punished,
and 7. who entered jail a clean minded
boy. left il moody, morose, sour and
Manning revenge on the man who had