The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-01-09
The Mutudl Welfare League of Sing Sing Prison


With the dean of the Columbia Law school, Dr. George w. Kirchway, carry ing on the work of the warden of Sing Sing and working along similar lines as the former warden, and with Governor hltmans dismissal of John B. Riley, New York state superintendent of prisons a known opponent to MT. osborne, it is thought by all, deeply interested in the work at Sing Sing and those onlookers who take this experiment as a pattern Of prison reform, that the work will con tlnue to be benefit and profit to the men and state as heretofore It was not strange that Dr. Kirchway, of Columbia, should have been selected to carry out MT. Osbornes work, as Cofumbia uni Versity is the hotbed so to speak. of thel whole movement. Dr. E., Stagg Whten the executive chairman or the national committee on prisons ana ,r1son labor is professor of penal law In that uni Versity, and MT. Osborne's secretary, Mr. Spencer Miller, was memb CT of the Co., ltanpla Law school While reading for ms Ph D. and a member of what is known as the Columbia group, MT. Miller decided to do something practical to ob- tain knowledge of the prison work and offered himself for the position as warden i, secretary, where a vacancy had just oc- cured.
 superintendent Rileys dismissal was sl on a charge of attempting to hamper the l Wofk or the new warden by ordering the | transfer from Sing Sins 10 ioannamora 1 prison of several members Of the Mutual | Welfare league, and the effect carried out ]
 would be to break down the present Administration" according to Governor Whitman.
 Until some Knowledge of the Mutual Welfare league is taken into account this charge has but little meaning to the average mind, ignorant as to the work of the league.
 It has been said the work of the league | which was m a small way started before | MT. Osborne was appointed, and now per- 1ected through him. is the most Spectacu- lar and interesting part O, the whole | prison work This is the pivot around | which revolves all prison activities in | Sing Sing.
 The benefits derived from the league are l so numerous and have such a far-reacn-t i ing effect upon the entire life of the | prison, it would require much more space | than allowed for this article to tell it.
 It is sufficient to say tha. larger per- centaSe of men than eyer before left l Sing Sing for the outside world, are now prepared to follow faithfui;y the motto of the league, Be good Make good
 From the league emanates all the work of the prison; here is the governmental machinery, for the work of government is done entirely by the men themselves who are placed on the honor system with the right of self-government.
 A specially elected board of delegates convenes to carry on the worK, minutes being kept of all proceedings; the warden administers the oath of office to the dele gates, and from this body is elected, by ballot, the executive board
 Any complaint that is made in the pris- on is made to the leagues board of dele gates and passed on by them. If the mat ter needs higher authority it is taken for counsel to the warden All bills con tracted inside the prison in any depart ment of the leagues work are paid by the league. The following committees are appointed to serve for the .eague: Mem bership committee. entertainment com mittee, athletic committee, educational committee. sanitary and grounds commit tee, employment committee, visitors com mittee. ways and means committee, legal committee, and an appointed editor of the Bulletin, which is a printed account of the proceedings of the league. The business transactions of the league show in. detail