Evening journal., 1920-03-15

lomed to nnd employment for prisoners
in the city workhouse to work in factor
les or for individuals. The prisoners
earn The same wages as free laborers
and are given their entire wages Win
out deduction for board and care.
enclose herewith for your Information
COPY Of report made 20 This once
nv the CITY Manager in OclODer' 1910
In which hp states that employment u
found through the Free LaJor IT, ~
change" and other agencies lna1 sno
prisoners return each night ana sleep
In the prison. travelling on foot or IN Guy
ears: that they earn regular wages tiiat
lhev "have frankly taken il mp win 'lie
union labor and secured their support,
that employers cooperate hea''l'S a. a.
that the city authorities ana inc puD"0
generally approve the plan
In the State Of Wisconsin a S'aya "a"
was adopted requiring county sileIlLs s-l'9
TO find employment for their prisoners
at day labor outside the jail rae pan
/, successful in some counties ana Is
/ dead letter In others. depcndln5 upon
the interest and efficiency Of thc slicrlh.
/ In YOUR own stale employment lds
| been found for prisoners from the Nun1
and Sussex lails and from your own
nrison I understand that you have al
/ lowed the prisoners ilfly cents per daE
/ from their wages. and that they nav
been able TO earn equal wages WIN
/ free labor.
The state Of Maryland is at WORK at
/ the present time on a plan for WOrAlh-
its prisoners on the State-use pan
under which The prisoners are 10 re-
celve wages. which will start at about
GO per cent OF the standard rate OF
wages for free labor with the eXpecia-
( ton that, as soon as the Industries are
properly established, the prisoners VIII
be paid at the same rate as free lapor-
ers, for equal work, and mat the prls-
oners will be charged with the cost OF
their care and maintenance; the
balance of their wages to be placed 10
/ their credit, partly for their own use
and partly for the maintenance OF their
/ families.
The state OF Maryland has called in
! the assistance Of the National COM
miltee on Prisons and Prison LABOR
which has its headquarters at Colum-
/ hia University, New York; and also ihe
assistance OF representatives Of the
American Federation Of Labor. am
Informed that IL is believed That work
I ing basis has been found.
] would advise that you follow the ex-
tample of the state Of Maryland and ASK
| for the advice and assistance OF the
National Committee on Prisons and
/ Prison Labor, the local and national
! representatives of the Federation OF
Labor, and representatives OF local
manufacturers.
should hope that out Of such con-
sultatlon there might grow a system OF
industrial employment and wage COM
pensation something Ike the following
4. All working prisoners to receive
vases which shall be fixed at the out
SET al about two-thlrds OF the current
wages paid for free labor OF like value
with The understanding that, as soon a:
The results Of the labor system will per.
I nit, full standard wages shall be paid.
>. Wage earning prisoners to include
those who work in the shops on tho
farms. on the roads. in the quarry th0si
who may be hired out to do days wOrs
outside the prison. and those who arr
employed in the Kitchen, dining room
store room and other domestic work OI
the prison.
3. All prisoners TO be charged will
the actual estimated cost Of their care
and maintenance, including food, cloth
ing. fuel. salaries Of prison officers
/ wages OF prisoners employed in The
domestic work of the prison, ordinary
repairs to prison building, and a -four
per cent. rental on the prison lands anC
buildings. / estimate that this charge
may approximate 81 per day per pris-
oner. This charge for care and main
tenance should begin, like the wages a
two-ihirds Of the estimated cost anc
should be advanced as wages are al
vanced
Z. After deducting the charge fol
care and maintenance. as above stated
the remainder OF the earnings OF th'
prisoners should be credited TO their ac
count. Each prisoner should be allow
ed 10 cxpend a moderate sum week.!
for tobacco. fruit, candy, and for per
sonol underclothlng. shoes, toilet arti
cles stationary, books and periodicals
within limits 20 be prescribed by IN
prison yules. The remainder OF M
WAGES should be paid to the prisoner
family for their maintenance, or, II d.
has no dependent family, 10 should D.
deposited in the savings bank TO ~
credit. and paid to him in weekly o
monthly installments after MS uis
charge.
;. \ plan should be adopted 70
determining the efficiency OF each pris
oner so that he may be rated at Iui
wages. or at a given per cent OF iul
wages according TO his efficiency 10
, dustry. interest and good viii.
6. prisoners serving sentence whicl
corrles a fine should be allowed to pa
lheir fine out Of their earnings Prls
oners awaiting trial should have IN
nrivilege of working for wages, ana
i fair question whether these un
convicted prisoners should be charge
with cost OF maintenance, because 1t !
tboir constitutional privilege TO b
treated as innocent until proven TO D
guilty. ,,. ,h.. ,h
nrisoner held for fine is really pris
oner for debt whose obligation can D
! discharged by cash payment Of % o
$40 or $50. IL is true also Of the prison
! er held for trial In default Of bail. Il
is simply a prisoner for lack Of credi
! If he can find a friend who owns prop
ertv 10 the value OF $500 or $4,000, n
need not pay a dollar in cash ne ca
simply pledge the credit on MS irien
= for his appearance and he can then Z
T. free and attend to his ordinary Duslnes
/, until the time of his trial when IN
: question Of his guilt and consequer
: punishment viii be determined. IL re