Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-01-15
HOW EMPLOY THOSE UNDER
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Nv" 6"C WI t0SS6 WHEN
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How may q government. finding
It necessary to place certain Of its
people under restraint, do SO and at
the same time preserve and use
their capacity for self support 1t
y . question puzzling able minds
all over the country: it confronts the
administration of every prison.. 1t
agitates labor councils. who resent
a. an injustice the product from the
hands Of prisoners coming into COM
petition with the products Of free
labor.
Such are not the only difficulties
confronting those who would utilize
prison labor. 1t is reported on what
appears to be good authority that
in one prison where prisoners sem
tenced for life were employed in
making automobile plates they de-
liberately destroyed $4,000 sets in the
heating process. This age has many
improvements over those of previous
ages but among these are none which
show how a horse led to water may
be made to drink.
And these are not al. rally
speaking we assume it la1t y nap
pens that the arrangements of pris-
one have as free a hand, have as
much Of opportunity for initiative in
experimenting as are permitted in
private business, nor are they likely
to secure the experts, who have
demonstrated capacity along lines,
which it is wished to develop.
Speaking Of organized labor's OPP
position to employment of convicts
q gentleman, who is well informed
respecting basic principles. who is
familiar with the logic of Herbert
Spencer. remarked to The writer.
recently, .supposing a carpenter, a
farmer and fisherman lived upon an
island and depended on their own
exertions to supply the community
needs, the fisherman and the farmer
helping to secure the food, the car
penter to protect them all from the
elements, build and keep in repair
the homes, what would happen If
the carpenter for some reason, be-
cause Of some mania or iniquity had
to be put under restraint, though
capable OF building and repairing
under oversight? Would anyone sup
pose the rest of the community
would be so silly as to keep that
carpenter in idleness. supplying him
with food. supplying his family with
the necessities Of life and asking
nothing Of him in return?
Well. II there happened to be a
competing carpenter on the island he
might object, though with little rea-
son II the work OF the prisoner were
a. well paid az his own, in which
conditions the relations between the
4vo would be as they were when the
prisoner was at liberty. But COM
plexity comes with charging Of the
community. 50 much of completely
and confusion Of thought that sight
IL lost Of basic principles and some
become SO deluded they conclude
there must be a substitute for the
multiplication table. Artificialities
become established and when that
happens an established artificiality
becomes a factor in whatever is, is.
Trying equitably to adjust these
articficialties becomes very COM
plicated problem.
Now the Maine prison is nowise
exempt from these conditions. 1t is
~ essential. there as elsewhere, to
the good Of all that prisoners should
be employed; 1t is as true that the
taxpayers should not be called upon
to poy for the keep Of those prison.
ers II they are able to earn It.
Would we have them compete with
the blind who make brooms, would
We keep them making harnesses for
horses long since passed to fertilizer,
making sleighs when the tinkle of q
sleigh bell Is an anachronism?
We understand that the Prison
Commission ana the Governor and
Council are giving this matter seri-
Gus thought, that among the propo-
sitions which they have under
consideration are the making of
automobile plates and work upon
the highways. The latter, we feel
sure. will appeal to the favor of
many. but 1t is seasonal employment
At which not all the prisoners may
be employed.
The making Of automobile plates
came up for consideration under the
Millilsen administration. It then
appeared that around $4,000 would
have to be expended for an outfit,
that It was very doubtful whether
under all the conditions such en-
ployunent Of the prisoners could be
made profitable to the State. Indeed,