Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-10-14

| and his record is sent to the reviewing officer
! along with the rest of the facts about the case
On the strength of this data, the reviewing Of
| fcer may recommend cemency. mar SEN
fenced to the pententary may be remanded to
the disciplinary barracks instead.
Furthermore, this record will determine the
treatment of the man i'll the disciplinary bar
racks, for the prisoners divided into two
classes One of these classes is known the
numbered men," while the other constitutes the
disciplinary battalion"
The numbered men are those whose re cords
indicate that it would probably be useless to try
TO restore them to active service, at least for
the time being. Their occupation in prison is
to work and to go to school. If illiterate they
are taught to read and write They are also
taught trades Every effort is made to fit them
to take a place in civilian life. After a man
has been in numbers for WHILE he may be
given chance in the disciplinary battalion. He
may, for example. have been drug addict, and
have conquered his vice in the prison. Or he
may have been a nervous wreck, and have
recovered.
The disciplinary battalion is the crux of the
system. 1t is at once training and lest of a
man't fitness.
This battalion is organized like any other
battalion. 1t has its own barracks and its own
mess. 1t drills hard and regularly. The dis
cipline in it is very Seyere-much more so than
in the regular military organization. Yet the
man is allowed some freedom. If he lacks self
control and c"nnot stand freedom the disciple
nary battalion will prov the fact. After three
months in the disciplinary battalion, man may
be recommended for re ;tOratiOn to active duty
or he may be sent bacH to numbers as unfit
for military purposes.
Thus the maan sent 10 military prison, in
stead of facing long, hopeless sentence which
deadenS the mind, is given the boon of oppor-
tunity. Injustice Is reduced, tC a minimum. II
of ability and character gets into the
disciplinary barracks, lie may work his way out
in few months, even though sentenced for
twenty years, and he may learn something use
full while he is i'll rriSon.
1t has been found that about one-eighth of
the men sentenced to disciplinary barracks are
restored to duty through the agency of the dis
ciplinary battalion. Many of them gain valu-
able vocational training
Until recently, attempt made to
salvage the man who is convicted of a felony
and sentenced to a federal pententiary. In the
first place, such man is more than apt to be
normal. Furthermore-and this is the important
consideration from the army viewpoint-a man
who has served a term for a felony is not a
desirable member of military organization. A
thief never has been aid never will BIZ tOler-
ated in a military company Such a man always
has been driven out by the enlisted men them
selves. The army is ALWAYS striving to raise its
men of good family and ability will enlist. Men
who have committed serious crimes there
fore not wanted in the ranks
Nevertheless, it was felt that Justice de-
manded that even the felon should have his
chance. Within the past year, board has
been appointed to examine every military priS-
oner in the federal p2nitentiaries. This exam
nation, like that of the man sent to dis
pSyciatrcal, and includes also study of the
mans record. 1t is made by board of three
officers, one of whom is an officer of the
line, while the other two are medical men, at
least one of them being pSychiatrist.
These examinations are now being made
1t is too early to judge results. But this
method will surely bring hope and oppor-
tunity to few men who deserve them.
All of this goes to show that the popular
idea of a militar-' prison as place where
men are severely punished, where red tape and
ancient precedent rule is wrong. The army is
doing its best to apply science and justice in its