New-York tribune., 1922-01-08

NjXf from the Federal prison at Atlanta
few days ago he announced that
the remainder Of his life work
would be to secure the release Of other ;1is-
oners
Debs is not the first distinguished prisoner
to voice a protest in behalf Of ''the Gagged
man. Personal narratives of life in prison
are many. In nearly all such narratives the
writer's point out that their object in writing
IS to start reform in the method Of treat
lns criminals But prison reform comes slow
ls--especially Federal prison reform. Vari-
ous states have been experimenting more or
'ess along reform lines but Uncle Sam con-
tnues to be what might be termed conserv.
Nve, and life in Atlanta and Leavenworth
varies little from year to year.
In some states prison reform, so called, has
progressed to point where charges Of ''moly-
codclng' have been brought and increase in
crime has been laid to the criminals lack Of
fear of punishment. In New York State Gov
ernor Miller has been investigating prison
conditions and, it is reported will seek to put
the prisoners here on self-sustaining basis.
IN accordance with plan similar to that fol-
lowed in Minnesota, where the prisoners make
large quantities of twne and other material
In Colorado the "honor system has been
carried to a hitherto unheard-of limit, in the
employment of convicts outside the prison.
In other states practically no outside work
is done. In some states punishments are per-
mitted which are held to be "cruel and un-
usuap' and therefore forbidden in the peni-
tentiaries of other states. Corporal punish
ment is permitted in most state penitentiaries
and forbidden in few Showering with cold
water is prohibited in Michigan, Montana,
New York and Utah, and presumably is per-
mlttcd In other states The crucifix and
the yoke are prohibited in New York, but
these means of punishment are found else
where. In some states convicts can be leased
to individuals. In others they are not per-
mitted to do any work under lease or con-
tract, being limited in employment to labor
about the prison or to the manufacture of
articles for state consumption. Bloodhounds
are permitted in some states and forbidden in
others, and the same is true of shackles and
chains, the gag and the iron mask
There are similar variations in the regula-
tlons concerning maintenance, parole rules
OF conduct, recreations and every other thing
that regulates life in prison and sometimes
affects life outside the prison walls
So far as the states are concerned then, it
would seem that the criminal has a wide
choice in the matter of more or less inevitable
punishment. If his crime is committed in
Colorado he may have an opportunity of get
ting outdoors all summer with road-buildine
gang or working on penitentary ranch
in each case without armed guards over him
and with practically no restrictions hanging
over him SO long as he does the work re-
qulred and reports for meals and sleep at the
required hours.
The Federal prisoner has no such choice.
Congress is not given to experimenting along
prison reform lines, unlike the legislatures Of
some states.
What sort Of places, then, swallow those
prisoners who have been found guilty of some
oHense against the Federal government? Per-
haps the best answer-the most interesting
answer at any rate-s found in Julian Haw-
thornes book, written at the conclusion of his
period of incarceration in the Atlanta peni-
tentiary