Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-01-15

ronds or M the prison INC
4 Employment OF chaplain Mt the
State penal institution in advocated.
deemed unsafe to permit, them tho
greater nossihiiity or escape which tic
F.; that it would be possible to do away
jentircly with tho contract system a.
! the state Penitentiary. bat tae war
I period, with it's enormously increased
! price Of machinery. created insupcr-
/ able dificultics-manufac,u had
! embarked upon war activities; tho war
| certain. so it was Impossible to uuip
tho pcnitcntiary for strictly State ser
vice.
'"fhc board OF that institution. with
! my approval. a. temporary expcIieut
extended the contract with the Star
! Clothing Manufacturing Company IN
| order 10 assure work for tho couvlc:s
( which was necessary Tor their well
! hein. az we'll as TO prevent tho great
expense which would accrue where tho
! mon conhncd were without employ
ment.
"Expe.icncc has demonstrated that
il is impossible to limit the exact num-
bcr OF cpnvicts that may he kept at
the s,aie ,nitcntiary: rs the litnesa
20 cach individual and cannot be "rbi-
| trariiy limited as 10 numbers. DAN
gerously desperate men escaping from,
the Camps would prove Iucnacc to the
community. while others arc physicanx
unit sor tho riEors or road work.
recommend that the law governing this
decision OF whethcr a convic; shall be
| sent 10 the roads or held in the PEN! :
Tertiary, TO tic discretion Of the iocnl-
| tertiary Board
Proposes Irvine Plant.
The question of the Kind OF employ
mont which Will provo suitable FOR men
confined in tho pcritontinry should be
let during the transitory period OF tho
solution ~ the problem OF how
erection OF that board. recommend,
that provision he made for The ina;aila-
tion In tho Prison at Richmond OF a
which s to be sold At reasonable
pricn 10 our farmers 70: Use ori the
farm. Twinc is staple article and
any OF me pr2duc: in excess OF our
sold upon the open market Th!.
would be boon 10 ou- farmers and
| in accord With poi!G% sueeesstuiiy
Convict camps have been es,ab-
l!shed q: various localities throughout
, the state Cor road building. In tho
tudo It ia difficult always to happily
blend tho idea OF corrective discip!ia,.
TO the transgressor. tho preventive cx-
tormin. and better tniiuences which
/ tend 20 the upbUilding of crring man.
hood. Recently constructed. tho con-
Wet camps are OF necessity crude. but
Efforts arc 10 be made 10 Improve con-
dtttonS along moro sanitary and rccrea-
tonal lincs, n tho road establishment
conTicts should bc confined TO tho work
is undertaken. they should be employed
only whore the state Is doing it's own
work; they should not ps used on con-
tract work. where the profit OF The con
tractor Is measured - the labor OF
the convict.
should Give Full Time.
The entire time OF ;ha SURGEON q:
work among the convicts and he should
have medical supervision over all OF
the camps TO ;he end that tho men
medical attention. Such an arrange
nent would enablo the surgeon TO
appoint, AGAR tho various Camps. local
physician. who would hc paid for ser
slant touch where ilincss existed with
central supervising surgeon.
II have been surprised that in these
times when tho uplift OF the downcast
and frendicss has become the sueject
OF public solicitation. to and that there
Is no chaplain at tho state Penitentiary
charged with the duty OF administer
ing 20 the spiritual needs OF these IN
tortunatcs. Though one may be 4
criminal, religious thought and dero-
ton aids III the process OF reformation
ponitential hours | suggest tina. by
statute chaplain be provided for this
Institution, to be chosen alternately
in turns from each Of tho religious
bodies, SO that the religious spirit may
be encouraged md the criminal emerge
from his punishment a better man.
Would Abolish Dry Agents.
Prohibition is now embodied in the
Federal Constitution and will be rigid
~ enforced By the Federal govern
nent in az the States. II Is no longer
properly poltica! issue; i: Is fixed
policy O" state and nation. / am mind
full Q! my pre- election pledge TO en-
force The prohibition Law and should
the General Assembly in it's wisdom
retain that department, a reasonable
appropriation, therefor, will not be
Virginia is tho only State in tho
Union having a special department
whose duties relate entirely TO the en-
so-cenent Of prohibition laws. In West
Virginia the State tax commissioner Is
All other States. with Il few oa!lica-
tions. enforce their prohibition laws
az they do other laws. The people OF
Virginia are law abiding and our lazy
officers arc loyal 20 their oaths OF Of
fee; they may be trusted. as arc the
where the enforcement OF prohibition
is had b. the regular constituted
authorities.
The establ!S1,mea. OF DEPARTING n.
! OF special criminal law enforcement
tends 10 create feeling Of resent
n:cnt among officers charged with gen
.-orai Law enforcement, and lends TO
relieve them oe the feeling OF respon-
sihility, which is necessary 10 the sue
cessfu, administration OF Law. Again.
rived from fines ard forfciturea b. the
prohibition department for the sapie
revenue would be had under the re-
| sular administration Of the law in