Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1917-08-18
MEN WANT TO FIGHT.

nhA> W AN ~ l..
O. served as Office nan to tie warden
OF Sing Sing prison during my term
there and | had good opportunity to
meet and observe all types of men in
that prison. My work as newspaper
man qualified me to certain extent,
to judge these men. Let me tell the
story of one Of these men. Pete Cul.
len. Pete Is serving term OF ten
years. Yet Pete is absolutely limo.
INT OF the crime for which he was
JhVlctcd. &lcre was a robbery COM
mltted by one OF Pete's friends, and
Ictc was arrested for it. He felt bad
~ ahout 1t at first but when he found
MS friend had wife and four chill
dren, Pee sat tight-he is till in Sing
Sing prison.
1t is only n little while ago when
he said to me: Gee I'd give my right
arm to go to France and fight" And
he meant it.
when news of the coming conflict
with Germany was first brought to the
prison, petition was brought to Act
ing Warden George w. Kirchwey
aligned by every ablc-bodied prisoner
LII IL the, pctitioned the warden TO 90
10 Albany and ask Governor Whit
man to allow them to fight for their
country.
Why not? Is the thing too farfetch-
Gu: we DO need men at the front
me military authorities in Washing
l'h are making appeals for re.
cful's. what is true OF New York
holas good III every state in the union
1T mas Eeen proved that prisoners
may DE trusted. They have proved
theT timber in hundred ways and
haVo always come out on ton.
WOULD SACRIFICE LIVES
one 'ICred thousand of these mon
are ready to join the army tomorrowi
even the foreign born prisoners wont
ABOUT tie thing with enthusiasm
This is the spirit manifested NV tho
men confined in the. prisons OF New
York state and knowing prisoners as
wei as 40, | know the same shirt
"'i'ilates those confined in other pr;s.
ol" throughout the union. The an
thorllles nave confined these men ho.
,n , they were proven unworthy Of
ipcl'! Ihey were placed there on
INC aSsui ptlon that when they C. mo
noihe thcy Wouiu prove worthy or q
pace in the world again. Sunnoso y
prisoner reformed the first wnok hn
was there7 ''
IL isn't question of time, but ono
OF inclination The boys want n fchI
ior their country--isi.'t that an nvi1
dehce OF reform? They are willing n
sacrlilcc their lives in an effort TO vino
on. the disgrace that had been their
CHEAPER THAN PRISONS
IT. costs more to run prison Than to
nl"lh'aln an army in the field. Prisons
manufacture crnminals-scciety must
pay the damage, however unwillinp
.hey may De. One man with criminal
lhciIlatlohs can do as much damage
DIS German U-boat. You are having
ihllllohs or dollars yearly in burglar
Insurance. because you insist unon
,o"''Hs lellow human being as n
nos, or worse. Governor West in
wlos',' ana Governor Hunt in Ari.
~ nave proved to the world that
a prisoner is treated as a man ho
acts like man. ~
mere is mighty force of encrpv
stoi 4 up in the prisons, This now es
is ready to be used for good WIN
net H.vc them a chance? They viii
make good soldiers because they ore
used to hardships-thc napkin, chatting
dish or finged bowl were not included
IN their surroundings Their hands
40 not have to be beautifully manicur-
ca, or their scarfs knottcd to perfcc.
tion-they want to fight in tie cause
o, human liberty, because they. above
all men, know what liberty means!--
Topeka Capital.