Evening star., 1925-04-12

w YITH the Federal prison
n population at the highest
NM point on record, and hun
dreds OF other offenders
serving sentences in State
institutions for infractions of the
Federal statutes. the Government has
entered actively into its long-pro-
iected prIson-expansion plans, with
two objects ultimately in mind.
First, to make its convicts self
supporting, and. second, to reclaim
where possible, re-establishing the
prisoners as useful members OF So
ciety
To begin with, an industrial re-
formatory. exclusively for women, is
to be established in Anderson, ". Va,
and placed in operation July l.
Prison for First Offenders.
A similar establishment Is planned
for male first offenders. between the
ages of II and 80, where conviction is
in crimes of lesser magnitude.
Leavenwortln is to have a shoe shop
and a broom and brush factory, the
former to be ready in the late Fall.
In Atlanta, where a duck cloth
mill already is operated, 1t is hoped
eventually to add an iron foundry,
but legislation will be required to
provide for diversified industries first.
Such legislation would permit OF
expansion at both Leavenworth and
Atlanta, and also at Mcneil Island,
Washington, the third of the Gov
ernment's prisons, which, like Leav-
enworth, is now without any indus
try. .
Survey Now Being Made.
Luther c. White. newly appointed
superintendent of prisons. Is engaged
in a survey of their industrial possi-
bilities, and II Is expected the data that
is accommodating will be used as a basis
for recommendations to be made to the
next Congress.
In Atlanta, where the population
Is approximately 1000, only about a
quarter of the men are employed In
the duck mill. To work the men in
shifts would destroy efficiency,
consequently others are out of luck,
as are all the prisoners at shopless
Leavenworth and Mcneil Island.
Then, at each of the establish
ments, there will always be a certain
number of the inmates required on
the prison farm and for other duties
at the institution, and who thus are
barred from participating In any
profit-sharing work. In order to put
all on an equal basis, 1t Is proposed
that the bonus earned by the indus
trial workers be Jumped, then dis
tributed pro rata to all inmates.
Declared Only Solution.
At first glance, this might seem un-
fair, but it is pointed out that there
would be little chance for shirking.
the men attending to that feature
themselves, and 1t is added that It ap-
pears as the only solution to care
adequately for those prisoners who.
through no fault of their own, are
barred from remunerative labor.
An effective illustration Is at Leav-
enworth, where the Government has
contracted to spend $9s,115 for recon-
structing a bridge across the Mis-
souri, River to a reservation Of $40
acres of bottom land, which, 1t Is ex-
pected, will be opened up for prison
farming. Convict labor will be en-
ployed throughout, and, IL the pro-
jected development is carried through,
a large force of prisoners will al
ways be required there.
Bonuses at Atlanta, where the mill
supplies all the duck for Government
activities, such as mail bags for the
Post Office Department and material
for the Navy, are declared profitable
for the Government as well as the
men.
Earnings of Prisoners.
The prisoners participating earn
about $2.25 a week. and no inmate is
under less than one years sentence,
as all Federal penalties Of less than q