The Cordova daily times., 1921-07-01

1hrOuRn an Odd series or happen 1 ings the Prisoners Relief Society of Washington. D. C., was brought into once been prisoner himself. Re- gently I heard his history and that of the organization from it's secre tary. Mrs. s. H. Mcintyre now in | New York City. Mrs. Mcintyre. who is well informed on the various as. poets of criminology, discussed some of them fifth me.
 Nine out of ten crimes are caused by circumstances" declared Mrs. Nc. Intire.
 Sometimes these circumstances | occur early in the victims life. the result of poor home surroundings. | Then we call 1t bad environment. But it's really circumstance. Under the stress of excitement men and women commit Crime-for the first time. Maybe a prison sentence fol. | lows Then after release or parole comes the delicate question of handl- ing the ex-convict That will be the whole turning point of his career.
 We claim that society is at faul. for the second offender.
 "The general public must be edu. catcd to accept the view that the eX- convict can be made it's worthy as set instead of a creature to be l summed and feared That attitude is greatly to blame for the second offenders. Heretofore 1t has been once a criminal always a criminal | All wrong. All that is needed is a | helping hand
 Give cx-conviCts second chance and 90 per cent will make good.
 "The Prisoners Relief Society was started by man who was given a second chance by his employers. But he felt after awhile that his pres ence perhaps was embarrassing to them. so he resigned of his own free ! will.
 This is F. F. During, head of our organization. To defend himself in a quarrel he killed his uncle. He had to go to prison for short time and though brief the term made him an ex-convict in the eyes of the world. He devoted himself to the convict, and now he is very successful in helping other men to come back.
 The ex.convict is not afraid to tell his troubles to MT Budding be- cause he knows he is understood when he learns that his protector was once behind bars himself
 The paroled prisoner is better off than the released man, because to se- cure parole man must have a job awaiting him when freed
 We get the released man a first friend in whatever city he wishes to go to. That means the friend will get him job. and only the employer is to know the secret of the prison term.
 This means lot to the convict released with only cheap suit of clothes and s in his pocket.
 Such man must be rescued or he will return to jail as a second of | fender, a hardened criminal.
 Our society, which aims to do just this work of rescue, was founded about seven years ago. Now many important men and women are back of it. They cooperate In getting jobs for those brought by circumstance into crime. We have helped over 56.000. men and women both, since our beginning.
 Men eligible for parole, or about to be released. can write to us and We send them blanks to fill out; we 1 also send a blank to the warden of the prison. If the convict Is farm CT, plumber. doctor lawyer-no mat ter what-we get him work in his own line Picture the plight of the man out of prison after d term! He feels the world is against him and he is not far from right in his judgment He finds it hard to deal with people.
 That was the identical experience of our head, Mir. Budding. Though | his firm, in Chicago, was very will ing to take him back, others were | not so kind. He was made to feel his disgrace by customers and asso- ciates, so he has consecrated his life | to helping other men. "in Washington alone we have