The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1923-04-03
MODEL PRISON PLAN FOR
.CONWCTs IS PROPOSED
WOULD KEEP THEM HAPPY
AND WELL, WITH PLENTY
OF EASE AND PLEASURE.
WINE AND BEER SUGGESTED
Co Educational Penitentiaries, With
Golf, Dancing and Theaters Would
Satisfy Reformers and Please Pris-
oners, Says Early County Man.

oners, Says Early County Man.
A model prison system for Georgia,
intended to keep the prisoners we'll
and happy and to eliminate applica-
tons for pardons, combinations or
even paroles, has been transmitted to
the Georgia Prison Commission by ID.
B. Thompson, warden of Early coun-
ty. Mr. Thompson gives credit for
origin of the plan to ]. G. Paul, en-
gineer for the Early county commits
sioners:
King Solomon said: Spare the rod
and spoil the child" and in the days
of Solomon this philosophy might
have been equally applicable to Grim
inals, but Solomon was a damphool
lin the estimation of some of his sue
| cessors in the modern times. Today
the parent who uses the slipper or the
switch is regarded as a social savage;
the teacher who employs corporal
punishment is a barbarian, and now
in Georgia, the warden who swings
the strap" is the arch criminal HIM
self. The tender hearts and tender
heads of society in sympathy with the
| tender tales of convicts brands war
dens as brutes.
1t is true there are innocent men lin
the gang" and there are others who
have thoroughly repented of their
crimes and would make law-abiding
citizens if they were free. All justice
loving citizens, both public and pri-
vate, would like to see liberty given
| to these. Those prisoners rarely ever
get into or give trouble in the gang,
/ but there are some unreformed crimi-
mails in the camps, and social welfare
seems to demand that some method
| be used to deal with these.
| Since the strap has been abolished,
and we have met to devise other
means to take its place, there is an
other question that has been discussed
for years that ought also to be dis
posed of at this time. That is the TAX
! ing of convict labor out OF COMPETE
ton with free labor. If we put the
prisoners on farm their labor will
have tendency to lower the present
starvation prices of farm products. It
we place them in factories they COM
pete with union labor. If we put them
in the mines we are likely to bring
about very disastrous coal strike.
If we keep them on the roads we are
in competition with free contractors.
"A south Georgia system has been
evolved in theory which, | believe it
i put in practice, will take the. convict
out of competition with free labor, sat-
| isfy the convict and meet the appro-
val of all agitators for prison better
ment," Mr.. Paul wrote the warden.
I'm the first place, suitable grounds
should be obtained and modern build
ings erected, with all the conveniences
of steam heat, electric lights, fans, etc.
Each convict should have an individ-
ual room, with private bath, running
water, sanitary bed and all other
equipment of first class tourist hotel
No uniform should be required, as
there is no uniformity in crime, so
why should there be uniformity in
clothes? Let each man and woman
dress in accordance with his or her
individual taste and pocketbook.
"The grounds should be provided
with a golf course, baseball diamond.
football grounds, tennis courts, pool
rooms, card tables, dance halls, thea
tiers and prize rings However, it
should be made unlawful for any con-
vict to join the Giants or fight Jack
Dempsey, as that would be COMPETE
ton with free labor. Each prisoner
should have the right to challenge
prisoners of other states to athletic
contests and the fans and rooters
should be taken to the games at the
states expense.
There should not be separate in
stitutions for men and women pris-
oners. Most of our colleges are CO.
educational, and our prisoners would
be happier if their institutions were,
! too. The dining room should be oper-
ated on both the American and Euro
pean plan, or Asiatic, for that matter.
"The warden should be one well
versed in supplying the demands of
prisoners, as it would be his duty to
see that no wish remained ungratihed.
Instead of employing foremen and
guards he should hire servants, wait
ers, bell hops and elevator girls. Any
employee who refused to obey the
command of prisoner should be dis
missed and disfranchised. While the
/ Volstead act might be enforced out
side the prison walls, it ought to be
repealed inside, and liquor light wines
and beer made there for home con-
sumption only. Free dispe1fsaries
SnOuld De kept open, WIN SAPSlt DoA
tenders in charge.
Under this system capital punish
ment can very readily be abolished,
as it would be possible to kill muir
derer with kindness.
while nothing on earth is perfect,
it is the opinion of the advocate of this
system that there would be little
trouble in keeping prisoners where
they belong. 1t ought to meet the ap-
proval of the most ardent advocate of
prison reform and satisfy the most un-
reasonable prisoner. Ii there is a COM
vict who could complain of such treat
ment he ought to become a law-abid-
ing citizen and engage in some honest
occupation.
Therefore; Be it resolved that the
Georgia Prison Commission submit
this system to the governor for his
APPROVAL and let Georgia take the
IT