The Washington times., 1922-06-11

time his spirit b doomed. He ID
stripped Of his manhood. He ID
fearful and AFRAID. He has not
been redeemed. He has not been
crucified. He has not reformed.
He has becoming . rowing AMI
NAL casting about for prey. and
too weak to seize II.
He n often too weak TO live even
by the law Of the fang and the
claw. He II not acceptable even in
the Jungle of human life. for the
denizens of the wilderness demand
strength and bravery a. the price
and tax Of admission. -......,
WITHAL. . prison is o most
optimistic institution. Every
man somehow believes that he can
'.beat" his sentence. He relies al
ways upon the technical point"
which he thinks has been over
looked by his lawyers. He some
times imagines that fond frieasds
are busily working in his behalf on
tho outside. .Sa. ..,..... 4
But in q little while the bubble
breaks, uisiliusion appears, the let,
ters nom NOME become fswsr. snd
fewsf. and the prisoner In tears Of
dsspsrAfim iresists hipaseif % his
lot. Society has won m him m
abiding enemy. n. psrchanos. he
10 not wholly broken BY the wreck
ing process by the time his SEN
tencs In served. he may seek to
strike back. In either csse society
has lost.
I do not know how many prison
ers came to me with their letters
soaked In tsars, They sought my
advice. They believed I could help
them over the rough edsee. I
could do nothing but listen and
offer them my kindness and coun-
sci. =. 'H'
They would stop me IN the corri-
dors. and on my way to the mess
room. and say: Mr.. Debs, I want
to get . minute with you to tell
you about my case" ....
Or "Mr. Debs, will you read this
letter from my wife. She says she
can't stand the gaff any longer"
Or. "Mr. Debs, my daughter has
gone on the town: what In Gods
name can you do about tt7"
What could I do about itf I
could only pray with all my heart
for strength to contribute toward
the Encouragement OF human affairs
20 that this needless suffering
might be abolished. Two or three
concrete cases win suffice a. ex-
amples of the suffering that I saw.
My first story II about q man
we win call Jenkins. Naturally
that In not his name. He was q
raflroader. thirty-fiye years old.
married, with six children, the
oldest q daughter Of sixteen years.
, He told me his Job was that Of q
switchman and his wages were 20
small that he was unable to pro-
vide for his family decentiy. al.
though he spent practically no
money on himself. ...
I viii try to relate this anec.
dote dispassionatcly as It was told
to me. Jenkins was tempted. He
broke into . freight car and stole
some shoes and clothing for his
children. q natural instinct Of any
man who sees his offspring not
properly fed and clad. He was
caught and sentenced to five
years In Atlanta, The freight
car was In Interstate Commerce.
He began his term cheerfuiiy
Dut wa blTTou Cohtahunhy W
anxiety for the safety and con.
dition Of his family. Az first.
the letters came regularly. He
read them to me. They were
sweet iovins letters such a. .
man would ret from his wife
and children He wrote az often
as prison rules permitted.
Then the letters from his wife
became trrsguiar and. ss they
came isss frequently, Jenkins
grsw more anxious. HIS mental
anguish and suffering were ap-
parsnt to M al. although he
oourasseusiy triad to conceal Il,
Finally he oams ID ne enc day
Win q letter IN his hand ana tears
n his sysa #.
-os.s." ~ ~. -sAs vsrss Aas