The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-08-30
Federal Prison at LeaYenworth
Modern Institution.
State Penitentiary Is Relic of
the Dark Ages.
SHAME TO KANSAS SOLONS
Prisoners Have To Use Buckets
for Lavatories.
Both Wardens, However, Use
Up-to-Date Methods.

kansas legislators might oIush with
shame II they would travel to Leaven-
worth and visit the federal prison and
then &c to Lansing and inspect the
Kansas State prison. The federal in
stitution backed by generous appro-
priations from the national govern
ment, untrammeled by local politics.
contains every modern and sanitary
improvement purchasable.
Over at the state prison the cells are
relics OF the days when grandpa wore
knee trousers. Governor Allen and
state investigation boards are spend
ing much time and money in investi-
eating county jails in the state. liken-
ing many of the county institutions to
the dark ages" and urging instant re-
building of the institutions.
Such Investigations may result in
the building of new county tails and
the erection of the county institutions
will not cost the state cent and will
not affect the political standing of
state officers thru an increase in ap-
preparations as would the moderniz-
ing of the state prison. Visitors to
county Jails and the state PRISON have
been unable to point out anything less
modern in the county jails than may
be found in the state prison.
Have No Lavatories.
Buckets must be used for lavatories
q.
eating bed bugs under present condi-
tons is like keeping whisky from a
drunkard. according to state officers
Legislators roar their heads off at
legislative sessions over private en-
ployers working their employees over
eight hours a day. Yet, on the small
appropriations given to the state
prison. the eight hour day there is
next thing to a joke.
Firepropf materials must be used in
the Pittsburg and Galena mines and
laws to this effect are passed at every
session of the legislature. Yet, a tip
pie at the head of shaft at the state
prison mine is built of wood and
soaked with oil, an investigation re-
veals, and the limited appropriations
make the erection of a fireproof tip
pie impossible.
A portion of the old, east cell wing
has been torn down for months. 1t
the last old rock was pulled from the
wall. No money for anything else.
In modern methods of handling
prisoners Warden ]. K. Codding is OIL
a par with Warden E. A. Anderson of
the federal prison. The merit system,
paroles based on good behavior.
abolishing the SOLITARY confinement
and initiation of picture shows and
other recreations are on the program
at Doth institutions These things
don't cost money.
Mine Workers Scarce.
The number OF able-bodied men
capable of working in the state prison
mine IS dwindling. Since the war the
number of young and able-bodied men
entering prison has decreased. Ap-
parently the young men have found
work and maybe foyer temptations.
AT the federal prison the popula-
ton is increasing by leaps and bounds.
For time prison officials feared that
a Few years would find the inmates
with nothing to do but play Simon
says Thumbs Up" as government stat
utes 1orbids prisoners to work at any,
thing competing with manufacturing
or business concerns. But with the
war and the l. Nv. WIS, life timers
sent over from France, conscientious
DIRECTORS and other classes of prison.
ers growing out of the governments
activities in the war, the population
promises to keep on increasing and
Warden Anderson believes construc-
tion work necessary to house the ever
increasing population will occupy
eVeryone's time and energies for the
next twenty-five or thirty years.
Warden e. A. Anderson of the fed
eral prison is a Kansan from Salina
ana former state senator. His prede-
cessor. Warden Thomas W. Morgan,
also was a KanSan from Ottawa