The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-06-17
REPLY T0 BRANDON 0N C0NV|CTS MADE'
 BY CHAIRMAN FORT.
Claims Hiring For Profit Is Burden On Conscience Of
 Judge And Jury

Charging that only in theory does the state of Alabama keep control of It's conv,cts leased to corpora tion. and that the state wardens are in many instances obligated to fur ther the interests of powerful in- fluences which obtained for them their jobs. Judge William E. Fort in a formal statement issued Saturday called for taking the convicts out of the mines and working them either on farms, roads or in facto- ries under direct state control. Judge Forts statement was & reJoinder to one made last Saturday by Gov. W. W. Brandon.
 The present system of hiring out convicts for profit Is a burden on the conscience of judge and jury and causes many mon Of conscience to hesitate before committing prison effects of a so-called system of jus tice which in practice works tn1us- tice. declared Judge Fort. He Is chairman of a statewide committee fighting the abolition of the lease system.
 June 24 will be convict lease Sun day in Alabama. with every minister being asked by the opposition com mittee to preach a sermon protest ing against the system.
 JuQSe fOTl statement lOllOWS.
 ITO the People of Alabama:
 No one will take issue with the governor in his recent interview, when he asserted that the present method of leasing convicts Is a great source of profit to the state.
 The few defenders of the convict lease system never mentioned, in this connection. the enormous profits which also accrue to certain large corporations and firms who contract for the lease of these convicts This feature is kept discreetly in the background; yet 1t Is the very ker- nel of the problem. and the powerful influence of these interests sur rounds the convict and shapes his task. from his entry into service withstanding the convict Is nomi- nally in the states charge.
 How It Works.
 Thus tho story runs: The state hires the convict to the company pany secures contract with the state for so many tons day for each convict, and the company thus gets its slice of profit. Then, under the operation of this generous sys- tenn, if the convict has any energy left, after his task Is done, he may have the privilege of working longer hours. In other words. after both the state and the company have squeezed out of the convict all the vict in practice: It is true that the state has fixed your task at as much labor as man of your physical strength ought to do. yet If you love money as we do. you can go. on and kill yourself for the sake of few extra dollars. If you want to do so. Who cares about you. anyhow? Haven't you violated the laws of the land and become an outcast through crime?
 cial smoke screen between the think ing, conscientious public on the out side and the convict, working under the lease system. the outcroppings of this modern slavery have been clearly seen for many years and are well known to our people. Instance after instance of wrong dealing and cruel punishment, number of ex- plosions and so-called unavoidable accidents carrying fearful toll of life and limb, the steady stream of cripples and health-broken convicts coming back from mine and turpen- tine or lumber camps, disabled from work for life. Those trag edies com ing to public attention from time to time during the years, finally forced tive committees to investigate condi- tions under this system in two suc- ceeding Alabama legislatures G915- 1919). These committees probed con places where convicts work under this system, and took sworn testi- mony from all available sources. They finally denounced and con demned, as relic of barbarism and worker of iniquity. this profit making system. as 1t has operated in this state since the days of negro slavery.
 The reports of these committees, with the evidence taken by them, can be found in the department of ar chives and history at Montgomery. So strong was the evidence of in human and vicious practices dis closed under this system, that bill was promptly introduced in the leg islature of 1919 to abolish the sys- earnest insistence of Governor Kilby that little more time was required to extend the cotton mills and pre- pare new avocations for the convicts, caused the legislature to postpone the final repeal of the this law, but the act provided that. after January l, 1924. it should be unlawful for any persons to lease or let for hire any state convict to any person. firm or corporation and any person found be punished by. fine not exceeding s5,000, or by Imprisonment for not more than five years.
 Operation Extended.
 Tt was further provided that noth- ing In that act should prevent the state highway department from working conv!cts on the public roads; thus indicating one way in which the convicts, now under lease, may be worked to. public advantage when leasing Is made unlawful However, under the recommenda- tons of Governor Brandon. the pres ent legislature. forgetting the warn ings of our past experience under this system and without giving time for public opinion to manifest its power. extended the operation of the present law till 1927. Presumably this is precedent for perpetuating the system by extension every four years. Our people will remember that. only few years ago. Missis- lease system. but had to abandon it under the fire of public criticism. exposing corruption. graft. cruelty and oppression. That state now works its convicts satisfactorily and decently on public farms.
 Georgia. likewise. had shameful and nauseating experiences under the lease system and was forced by an aroused public conscience to repeal the law. They now work their con victs on the public roads. which show marked improvement, while the convicts are apparently treated hu- namely. No complaints of harsh and unjust treatment have since arisen in that state.
 "The abolishment of this law in Georgia left Florida and Alabama as