Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-05-03
WILSON SPONSOR
FOR WAR FACTORY
AT ATLANTA PEN
Rules Committee to Put Bill
on Preferred Calendar,
Senator Smith Says Fuller
Galloway Originated Plan
BY THEODORE rULER

1 " 4O-Nf L. - may ANS
ident Wilson's interest in the Sherley
bill for the utilization of convict labor
in the Atlanta federal penitentiary for
the manufacture of cotton fabrics neces-
sary for warfare may give a privileged
status to a more general bill providing
for the utilization of convict labor for
making cotton and other fabrics needed
by the military forces.
The president has Unexpectedly come
to the rescue of the Sherley bill. now
on the house calendar as a routine
measure. Mr.. Wilson says il is a mat
ter of genuine Importance that convicts
be put 10 work. on war contracts al
once
As disclosed in The Journals dis
patches of Tuesday, President Wilson
in a letter 10 Chairman Pou, of the
house committee on rules, expresses the
hope that the convict labor legislation
will be expedited and the rules commit
tee probably will act promptly on the
recommendation.
Senator Hoke Smith said today that
Fuller Galloway, Of lagrange was one
Of the first men to suggest such use
OF prison labor. He expressed pleasure
that the president had espoused the
suggestion.
"Mr. Galloway. several months ago"
-
use Of the federal prisoners at Atlanta.
heartily approved the suggestion and
promised II the attorney general woul,
approve the plan. which I recommended
TO him. that I would sponsor the bill
as soon as it came over from the house
am glad that the president had seen
fit TO approve the idea Of putting these
FEDERAL prisoners to work on the pro-
uction OF materials needed by the war
and navy departments in the prose-
cution OF the war"
Wilson ASKS Speed
The bill, introduced by Representa-
tive Sherley Of Kentucky, and reported
oy the judiciary committee. authorizes
the attorney general to install. equip
and operate factory or factories at the
Atanta penal institution for the man.
ufacture OF cotton fabrics to suoplv
tne requirements OF the army. navy and
shipping corporation, and cotton duck
suitable for tents and other army uses
AS you know the president wrote
chairman Pou, Il am as much inter
ested as the attorney general is in
mouse Dill $3.50. providing for a cotton
factory at the Atlanta penitentiarv
Indeed. regard the measure as of gen
uine and pressing public Importance. I
trust. therefore, that you will think me
Justined, in view of this conviction on
my part. in asking if in your opinion
IL will be possible to put this bill on
the preferred calendar following the
Dill which the committee on rules has
already listed for preferred action.
am sure you will befreve that would
not ask this IL IL were not a matter
Of real concern to me-"
President Wilson's interest I'm the
Sherley bill applying only to, the At
lanta penitentiary may give impetus to
a bill reported by the labor committee
providing a general use of federal con-
victs on war work.
This bill contemplates the utilization
of prisoners confined in army and navy
prisons, as well as other federal penal |
institutions, and provides in addition
that the United States may, under GER |
tain conditions, make use of state con-
victs for the production of war sup
plies.
The sherIey Bill
The SherIey bill appropriates $3.50. 900 |
for the installation and equipment of a
textile factory at the Atlanta prison |
and also S550,000 as a working fund" |
to be used by the attorney general for |
the manufacture of fabrics for war uses. |
The attorney general is empowered to
establish a scale of compensation for |
the prisoners and their dependents |
when assigned to war work.
1t is expected that the house COM |
mittee on rules will soon comply with |
the presidents suggestion and give the
bill privileged status. The report of
the house judiciary committee on the
bill which would have received delayed |
consideration but for the presidents let |
ter, contains the following statement
regarding the measure sponsored 10y |
Representative Sherley, chairman of the
committee on appropriations: The mat |
ter of equipping the Atlanta peniten- |
tiary for the manufacture of textiles |
has received the careful attention of the |
department of justice and it's recon- |
mendation. The annual report of the |
attorney general for the year 1916 goes
into this matter at some length, and |
points out that for the 16 years prior |
TO that time the prison labor, except |
the portion required to cultivate the |
farms and perform the usual prison du- |
ties. had been employed in construction |
work; that as this work had progressed |
these prisoners confined in state insti- |
buttons had been gradually withdraw WI |
and that within a year from that time |
Il was expected that all United States
convicts would be back in the custody |
Of the federal government He points |
out that at that time or i'm the near
future, there would be about 700 idle
men at Atlanta, which number would
be greatly increased as the construction
work was completed.
Prison Population Grows
The average daily population of the
Atlanta penitentiary has been greatly |
increasing. For the year 1915 II was
s93; for 1915, 1,139. and for 1917, l.
is6- The report Of the attorney gen
eral for 1917 states that the construc-
ton work has progressed 10 a point
where the early completion of all build |
.nEs was then in sight
"A prior congress, anticipatinr the
problem that would arise, appointed a |
commission to investigate and recon-
mend a plan by whfcn profitable en-
ploynent could he furnished the United
States convicts in the several peniten-
tiaries- They reported the plan that is
embodied in the proposed legislation for
Atlanta.
1t is contemplated ny this bin TO in
stall 500 looms and the proper compile
ment OF other machinery for weaving
Goth. II appeared in the hearing be-
fore the committee that this number
OF looms would require about ESQ en-
ployees TO operate them in a well-oper-
ated private plant, DuJ that $50 per-
sons could be employed at this work in
the penitentisry. which would make the
work on each person very light and give
abundant opportunity for outdoor exer-
else and recreation.
1T Is proposed 20 manufacture a
~ IL