The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1918-08-26
Governor to Discuss
Prison Labor Problem

| The policy of employing prison la
! Dor for government work as a war
emergency, which was last week ap-
! proved by the War Labor Policies
| Board will be discussed by Governor
| Emerson C. Harrington, of Maryland
on Saturday, September 7th, at a
! special meeting of the National Com
mittee on Prisons and Prison Labor,
to be held at the country home of
Mrs. John H. Flagler, North Brook
Farm, Greenwich, Connecticut.
The emphasis of the National
Committee on Prisons and Prison
Labor upon this policy arises from
the fact that the war prison labor
bill now before Congress was prepar-
ed by the Committee and the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor. The posi-
tion of organized labor toward pris-
on labor will be defined at the meet
ing on September by John J. Man
ming, of the American Federation of
Labor. DR.. E. Stagg Within Will
discuss the activities of the National
Committee on Prisons and Prison
Labor in connection with the bill
and discuss its Importance as a war
measure.
The legislature of Maryland at its
last session passed joint resolution
requesting the Senators and Repre-
sentatives from Maryland to use all
honorable means to secure the pas
age as war measure of the War
Prison Labor Bill. Representative
of the Maryland Prisons have met
with the War Prison Labor and Ma
tional Waste Reclamation Section of
the War Industries Board to discuss
the utilization of Maryland's prison
labor in war work
AS chairman of the Work or Fight
Committee of the National Commit
tee on Prisons and Prison Labor,
Governor Harrington will also refer
at the meeting in Greenwich, Conn,
Compulsory Work Law Since the
President of the United States ap-
proved the principle of the Maryland
law, Governor Harrington has direc-
ted campaign throughout the Unit
ed States for the purpose of getting
the legislatures of other States to
Gin 10, National
Committee on Prisons and Prison La
Dor is represented at the meeting in
Cleveland this week of the National
Conference of Commissioners on Uni
form State Laws which is expected
to approve draft for uniform law.
In approving the general policy of
employing prison labor, the War La
Dor Policies Board suggested that
Congress provide by legislation for
earEssag outzshssnEoassal
and for Avoiding the Of ex-
ploitation of the contract system.
This corresponds to the recommen-
dations of the war, Navy and Labor
departments anu Tue w dl
Board who have all Joined with the
President in approving the war pris-
on labor bill 1t is expected that the
bill, which has already been favor
ably reported by the House Commit
tee on Labor, will be passed at the
present session of Congress.
The principles embodied in the war
prison labor bill were established by
an overwhelming vote in July when
Congress passed the Sherley Bill pro-
viding for the use of federal prison
ers at Atlanta in the manufacture of
cotton fabrics for the use of the War
Department. The demand on the
part of the prison wardens through
out the United States as well as the
10000 men behind prison bars that
they be allowed to help the Govern
ment in its war program has given
the bill the universal sanction of the
States.