Evening star., 1919-11-08
PRISONER AT OCCOOUAN CALLS
PENAL FARM WORLDS NOBEL
Not Prison, But House of Reflection,
He Declares in Praising Benefits
Received.

Not prison, but a house of re-
! fection." is the way one prisoner at
the Districts penal farm at Occoauan.
i Va. characterizes the institution.
| which he declares all the prisoners
there regard as "the worlds model
institution"
This voluntary tribute to the Oc-
coquan farm and its management has
come to The Star from Thomas Dud-
ley Moore, prisoner there. who says
| that his name may be used. since "I
am looking forward to the day when
I can stand before the citizens Of
than when / left it,
The picture he gives Of the penal
farm is SUCH as would almost make
| q reader desire to become a prisoner
himself. The writer says that he has
spent nearly ten years in prison as
result of the excessive drinking Of
Intoxicating liquor. and is now serv-
ing a sentence of one year upon a
charge which was brought about by
the demon rum"
Glad Wild Career Was Halted.
II am glad that the law has halted
made me stop to think. and that
through the interest. kindness and
the encouragement and help that
has been given me my reformation
is being accomplished. Instead OF
leaving the institution with feel
ing of retaliation and an l,don t-care
attitude, I will leave with the deepest
feeling OF gratitude for all that mas
been done for me-.
MIR. Moore's tribute to the occoquah
farm and it's officers follows:
"'rhe public has heard much anou,
prisons and prisoners. but great aea
Of what has been said has been tneo-
ries and platitudes. the Wrltel -,
this article does not want to voice n's
own words and sentiment, pu, ,.,th IN
wants to speak for the many WIN
whom he has been associated LOT the
past ten or twelve years. ~.
"Prisons are necessary ana must oe
maintained by society. ana tnere
many a man in prison VINO mas tne e
sense to realize it was the pest ,nths the
that ever came to him; that IN tne
wild career, in the headlong doWn-
ward path, it was good for the law 70
Law hands upon him, halt him anu
make him stop to think. but wneh
society faces the conditions tnat *
list: when society reaiizes tnal my .ne
care and keeping Of its prison man
agement have been placed the iiVes.
the souls. the bodies, the destinies OF
a hundred thousand beings, IL mus,
face the realization of the treme endous
responsibility of those VINO are III
charge OF it's institutions.
"To all prison wardens 1 would say;
1T is up to you. Society has failed
with these men. Some of them nave
grown up and had no chance, no edu-
cation. and they come to you sorry
wrecks-weak physically. weak men
tally, discouraged, disheartened,h hard
ened. They have had many heart
ache and many brutal, unfair deal IN
the past, and they are brought into
your prison and you are the absoiute
arbiter of their fate. 1t ID up to you
to make men of them.
Gets Strength and Courage.
"The writer is at present an inmate
of an institution that is not prison,
but house Of reflection, where man
is made to feel that he is man, with
a mind and heart to be trained ana
educated and held into the right path.
Here the poor, weak, broken man is
given the strength and courage OF a
new manhood, which. properly nour-
into the world strong enough to face
the great battle of life.
"At the District of Columbia's farm,
of which l am at present writing, the
inmates are employed under officers
who are selected because. Of their
knowledge of human nature and the
work to be undertaken and their abil-
ity in handling men in groups OF from
five to thirty. according to the kind
Of work to be done and the ability OF
the officer to direct them. OF course.
there is much work about the farm
which may be left to the men them ,
selves. after suitable instructions. and
the teamsters, dairymen, blacksmiths,
those employed in the necessary do
mestic work and various others, are
put wholly on their honor. both as to
the faithful performance of their
~ ~R to
not unusual for man who is serving
long sentence to be sent with his
team a mile or more from the build
ings, working quite by himself and
remaining away from the prison
proper for hours at a time. Indeed,
almost any. man might easily nnd op-
portunity for escape if he 80 desired.
OF course, the management is dealing
with that most uncertain quantity,
human nature; but. considering the
number Of men, escapes are rare. ana
the few who do break faith are almost
invariably returned after a time.
1.-The men are given practically the
same liberty as an ordinary gang of
laborers would have under a fore
man. They may talk as long as their
language is not objectionable and the
work is not interfered with; they en-
Joy various games and amusements
during the hours after work and be-
fore bedtime, and there is also a large
and nicely equipped library from
which the best books may be chosen.
"A hearty diet of plain, we'll cooked
food is supplied, in which the farm
products play very large part. In
SO far as possible the management
tries to interest the men in farm
work, for there is always a good de-
| mand for farm labofers in our Sec
ton. To be sure, large numbers of
the inmates are city born and bred
and have small desire for country
life. but for those who desire such
employment the management finds no
difficulty in securing places. for the
surrounding farmers have found that
inmates discharged from the institu-
tion differ little in character from
those from an ordinary employment