The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-03-13

punishment for crime the death pen atty is worse than useless"
 MT. Baldensperger advocates the re- moval of the pardoning power of eX- and does not believe in life imprisonment.
 If a man Is unfit for society, in- curably unfit. he might with reason be put to death by society for society's betterment. Life imprisonment is worse than death for the offender and bur sperger.
 Preceding MT. BaldensperEer's ad- dress Senator Frank s. White spoke on the convict lease system.
 The large convict-working inter- ests in this state prevented the con- victs being taken out of the mines by the last legislature declared Captain White
 THE INTERESTS DID IT
 What interests?" asked a dele
 gate from the floor.
 "The interests said Senator
 White
 Captain White, I should like
 to ask Mr Shapiro to tell us how
 the Jefferson county delegation
 voted on the convict lease bill in
 the last legislature. rms was
 from Arlie Barber but Mir. Shapiro
 was out of the hall at the time.
 Mr. Barber then requested that
 someone else tell the congress how , the Jefferson county delegation
 voted on this bill, but Dr. New
 fled stated that the congress was
 ''state gathering" and was not
 concerned with the Jefferson
 county delegation"
 Prof. James s. Heery was the next speaker. He gave a brief history of the evolution of prison conditions in England and Australia and ended with a resume of his Investigations in America.
 Professor Heery stated that there was no sentimentality about his pur- suit of prison investigation; that it was a purely scientific question to him.
 He described prison conditions as he found them in Kansas, Colorado, Mis- souri. California and other states.
 In Missouri, Professor Heery states. the convicts are treated in the same manner as they were treated 100 years ago. He found in a Missouri prison 16 men hang ing from the ceilings of their cells by iron rings. where. they were suspended all day, with only one feeding of bread and water. This punishment was inflicted for slight offenses-in one instance for breaking the silence" law by talking to fellow convict at the table.
 HALF MILLION CONNECTS
 Prison conditions in American states are an insult to the intelligence of any stated Professor Heery. There are over 50O,0O0 convicts in the United States. Many of them are tuber- cular and otherwise i'll, and should be fo1r Nf1, fa1I 1x1f1 tive and should be in a lunatic asylum. Yearly these men are turned loose upon society, far worse than when they en- tered the prison doors.
 ''The public conscience of America must be awakened said Professor Heery The American people don't know what is going on, or they would not tolerate it." He cited number of instances of alleged excessive punishment of children 
 He told of a negro boy 8 years old who, he alleged. is serving a sentence of IA years in the Louisiana penitentiary for stealing a can of sardines from a country store, in the daytime. He related another alleged instance of boy 19 years old now serving in the Alabama penitentiary at Wetumpka, who was sentenced to five years for stealing pair of shoes, and was convicted on flimsy evidence. This boy has served three years in a convict working mine in Alabama; his health is broken down, and he is now in the prison hospital recuperating, in order that he may go again to the mines where he will serve a life sentence,' said the speaker.
 The meeting was attended by several hundred people, who greeted the ad- dresses of the speakers with marked en- thusiasm.
 Dr. Newfield announced the appointment of the following committee on nomina. tions: Dr. George Eaves, chairman; Miss Emily Miller, Miss Knox, Anniston; Ralpf Barrow, Miss Lewy, Montgomery; the Rev John Milford, Fayette; Mrs. Louis Beck, George w Ward, Tuscaloosa; Miss Talladega, Prof. Malcolm Burke, Uni verslty.
 THE MEETING TODAY
 Today will be given to the discussion of health problems. Dr. Charles J. Hat field will be the principal speaker of the day.
 The programme for today follows:
 Prayer: Rev. Preston B. Wells,
 Red Cross Seal Sale Methods: The Teaching of Experience'-Miss Maud 
 'The Proper Use of Funds Accruine from Seals''-Judge Charles Leyden
 Sale Plans Tor l9li -Rappl l. lsaacson and Mrs. Oscar Hundley.
 Financing the Local Association "-P O. Aitken, Huntsville, and Miss Lucille Dove, Montgomery.
 Function of the State League"-Dr. George Eaves and Miss Pauline Lewy.
 12.3O D. m.-Hotel Tutwiler private din ing room, A. R. Brindley, presiding.
 Luncheon-Topic, County Hospitals for 
 Address-Dr. Charles J. Hatfield.
 SECTION MEETINGS.
 nti-Tuberculosis League: Auto mobile trip to dispensary, open air school etc., ending at the Red Mountain sani- torium, where a meeting will be held at 3 D. n1., Dr. B. L. Wyman, presiding.
 ..The District Nurse"-Miss Bertha Clement. Birmingham, and Miss E. M. Coombs, Selma.
 'The County Health Officer and Tu- s. w. Welch and Dr.