The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1920-03-08
ATLANTA PEN" TO
HAVE MODEL FARM
Federal Prison will Try Honor
System and Share Profits
With Convicts.

ATLANTA, Ca, Mdrch o-ohSAe S
is going to give his prisoners
chance to "come back"
The Government has perfected
plan for the establishment or al
'honor farm" at Panthersville. COM
prising about l,4O0 acres and repre-
senting an outlay OF approximately
$780, II will be run In connection
with the Federal penitentiary here
and Is to be under the supervisor OF
Warden Fred G. zerbst.
Two hundred or more men whose
conduct in the penitentiary mas en-
titled them to more liberty WIZ DC
selected by the warden TO WORK the
farm. Not only will they be petter
housed and allowed more extensive
freedom, but the prisoners VIII ac-
tuaIly share in the profits derived
from their work. Seventy-n's per
cent OF the farms earnings VIII De
given to destitute families. ana the
other rs per cent will be kept TOT the
workers and turned over 10 them
when their time expires.
Men will gravitate back TO their
own kind unless they have learned to
like another"
That is the way Warden Zerbst has
changed the old maxim. water VIII
seek its own level" to Mt his own
needs II. the manner in which ne Is
endeavoring to help Federal Offenders
come back"
Seeks to Make Right Impression.
Men come here from all kinds and
conditions of life. and IT Is necessary
to make the right impression AT the
PSYCHOLOGICAL moment to change them
into the kind Of people the country
ard community they go to need ne
said.
"Talle the coufterfeiters and
.yeggs. as the safe cracker is called
in criminal lingo; they usually come
from the large cities, where their
associates are men or their own
stamp. The moonshiner comes from
the country, either from community
where moonshine is more or ieSs
prevalent, or from one where ne mas
been tempted to go in for Illicit ois
tilling because OF the hlgh price he
can get for liquor.
UI take these two classes as ex-
amples, because they represent Two
extremes. OF course, there are iot
of othr offenders and their cases
have to be handled more or less IN
dividually. For the purpose or max
ing myself clear I'll use the first TWO
in explaining my point.
Needs To Have Trade.
"What a man needs most to Keep
him straight when he gets out d
here is a deep interest in some use
full occupation or trade ne diun
know when he came. Getting MN,
interested in learning these sort OF
things is the psychology OF the whoic
business of prison reform. II ne has
been q yegg and comes mere anu
learns nothing the chances are re
will go back to his trade once he II
on the outside and meets MS clo
friends and associates. But II ne
learns farming or stock raising, or
something else while here he goes
away with a new interest and seeks
new friends among people who 90 the
thing he has learned how to do. Heh''
safe cracking not only becomes q
detasteful occupation to him, but ne
Is too busy with his new trade 10
let his mind revert to 1t.
Each Moorshiner Farming.
Tr moonshiner comes here
whether he is a professional or an
amateur, the chances are he Is q
small farmer from mountainous
section where modern agricultural
methods are not known. We give
him a chance to learn something
about intensive truck farming, dairy
ing or stock raising. He Immediately
not only develops a new interest,"
but sees legitimate, lawful way to
make a good living"
When Warden Zerbst assumed
assumed charge Of the penitentiary
in 1915 he set out to accomplish two
points in his program. One was to
eliminate the old one-man cell, and
the other to have real farm at the
prison.
Within the last seven months ms
dream has begun to come true. The
AZ by feet cells have taken sec
ondary place to the new IL by -
feet cages to accommodate four men,
and the farm is being surveyed.
"A great many new prisoners have
come here since the prohibition law
went into effect. They consist large
" Of young fellows. about nineteen
to thirty. from North Carolina. East
ern Tennessee and North Georgia,
the warden added.
"They know something about farm
ing already and we are going to
teach them scientific methods.