Perth Amboy evening news., 1918-08-10
GOV. EDGE ON
PRISON LABOR
Addresses National Committee
in Session at Elberon Today
New Jerseys Experience.

ELBERoN, Aug. 1o-Governor
Edge vas a speaker before the Ma
ton Committee of Prisons n Prison
Labor in session here today. In ms
remarks the Governor said:
War prison labor. in fact, all
prison labor accomplishments in New
Jersey, has been based upon the same
underlying principle in support of
which the United States has entered
the world struggle. 1t is the princi-
pie that the answer of civilization
is not h survival st the f~ittest.' or
the triumph of might over right, or
the strong over the weak; but rather
the dominance In all things of the
humane idea As the science of gov
eminent calls for the protection and
self-determination of the physically
weak peoples, so the science of So
GEOLOGY calls for the re-~education and
encouragement toward better things
OF the morally weak. We have dis
covered that constructive prison re-
form cannot be accomplished with
the club. Mankind In the prison can
be punished, subdued n empo-
rarily over-awed by abusive treat
ment Inc uninteresting employment,
but he cannot thus be cured in char
acter. His sense OF humanity must
be appealed to in order to effectualIy
blot out his criminal tendencies and
~reclassify him in the category of use-
full citizenship. Employment of a
kind adapted to physical qualiaca-
lions and appealing strongly to per-
sonal interest is, l am convinced, the
only practical solution of the big
prison problem.
War work for New Jersey prison.
ers has consisted chiefly of road build
ing and farming. We found it prac-
ticable to use prison labor in building
stretches of road to Camp Dix. We
also found 1t profitable to the tune
OF $4,000 the first season to train
reformatory inmates In the planting
and raising of crops on Idle state
owned land in Hunterdon county.
These successful experiments have
pointed irresistably to a plan where
by the maintenance cost of all state
institutions may be greatly reduced
through the systematic employment
of inmates in the raising of edibles
and the manufacturing of materials
necessary to Institutional maintena-
ance. I believe that the available
acreage of all state institutions should
be titled to the last foot of ground.
In order to accomplish this / appre-
ciate that 1t may be necessary to
transfer inmates of one institution to
the grounds of another institution for
employment inasmuch as in some
cases there may not be sufficient ply
sically qualified inmates at a given
Institution to farm the acreage. The
same thing applies to the cutting and
gathering OF natural ice. 1 am CON
WINGED from data which I have gath
cred hat with the building at COM
paratively small expense of ice houses
of ample capacity 1t will be possible
to harvest sufficient ice by the use of
Institutional labor to supply the needs
of every institution in the state. The
economy possible through such a plan
may be readily imagined.
Hard labor out of doors is not
practical for all prisoners. New Jer-
sew has abolished the vicious contract
labor system, clearly Illegal under
the laws of our state, but graciously
winked at until the last two years.
In doing this, however, we are plan
ming to purchase useful machinery
whenever available Inc substitute
esting and profitable character. Only
a short time g we opened our IL
cense tag manufacturing plant in the
state prison at Trenton. In the past
the state has bee purchasing these
tags from private manufacturers. The
saving herein affected nay likewise
be imagined.
These vaious Innovations have not
been thoroughly worked out as a per-
manent policy of the State Govern
ment. / do not wish to give that i'm
preston. Bnt we nave experimental
with them in q highly satisfactory
way and with the added power, af-
fording concentration of effort, be.
slowed upon h new Department of
Charities and Corrections. which now
pears absurd. Care IL being taken
agement of all types OF state institu-
lions, there Is no reason why the
newer and better method of dealing
with convicts and inmates Of state in
stitutions should not be applied very
speedily In q comprehensive and per-
manent state use system.
IT am cognizant OF the objections
Of free labor to any plan which would
put convict labor into competition
with free labor. but this is farthest
from u thought, and in fact, a very
remote possibility. Labor is so scarce
due TO the drainage upon the countryrs
and for the industries. hat the mere
suggestion of convict labor getting
into serious competition with free
labor. under any circumstances, ap-
pears absurd. Core Is being taken
that no step In the establishment of
the State Use system In New Jersey
be repugnant to h sacred principles
Of free labor, but I feel that the de-
mand for labor is so extraordinary
not only on account of the war. but
on account OF the rapidly growing in
dustries OF our state. that convict
and institutional labor OF all sorts
can be easily absorbed without any
conflict with free labor. Moreover,
the development OF the State Use sys-
tenn will have such a beneficial and
restorative effect on the character of
the criminal classes that the preva-
lence OF the latter must in time be
reduced 70 q minimum whose activi-
ties In no line can be q menace to
mankind"