Evening star., 1927-09-04
Capital Sidelights.


unprecedented experiment in the hui
name care OF offenders against society
by keeping those who are serving
prison sentence in confinement with
out bars and locks and a 35-foot wall.
by establishment of industries with
the purpose of setting up as soon as
possible a wage system under which
those serving time by their work may
help to support their dependent wives
and children--it is timely to pay lit.
tie passing tribute to men yet alive
among us who made this great inno-
vation possible.
In May, 1908, President Roosevelt
appointed John Joy Edison, District
ba 1ker and civic leader, who is now
q member of the new Board Of Public
Welfare, and Justice Wendell p Staf-
ford on q commission to make a thor
ough study and report on the penal
system for the National Capital.
Pursuant to their report President
Roosevelt in January, 1909, recon-
mended to Congress the establishment
of a reeormatory tprison) and work
house as separate institutions Of con-
finement for different classes of pris-
oners on "unreclaimed land that can
be cleared, cultivated and built upon
py the prisoners themselves. That
eventually there shall be established
on this tract for the reformatory)
shops wherein a variety of industries
may be taught and carried on, the
product being easily consumable by
the various District departments"
In their report the Commissioners
discussed prisoners earnings and
fund for their families or themselves"
During the past II years under
Capt. M. NJ. Barnard a beautiful
plant Of some 25 permanent buildings
has been. erected with bricks made
In the workhouse kilns and erected
with prison labor, after the temporary
buildings had been sawed out of TIM
ber on the ground Three major in
dustries are just being started at Lor-
ton--the making Of automobile tags,
the canning Of surplus farm products
and a foundry for making manhole
covers and other iron products for the
District.
In concluding their report, nearly
Edison said:
1.-THE Capital Of a Nation, though it
lie at the level Of the sea, is a city set
on hill--it cannot be hid. Whether
we wish it or not, it will be observed
of all observers, and its influence will
60 out for good or for evil in every di-
rection, and possibly to every nook
and corner of the land. We wish to
see a system adopted which may be-
come a model to all who are seeking
to improve their own institutions and
policies, and which shall be worthy to
form a part of the law Of a wise and
just people"
They called attention that Plutarch
relates this anecdote Of certain Am.
bassadors from Sparta. When asked
yyhnthn their rrnnoca1G xVaro nfforpd
in their own name as individuals or
in the name Of the state, they replied:
'In the name of the state If we sue
ceed; IL we fail in our own" They
told President Roosevelt, I'm that
same spirit we leave this report in
your hands,"
The District of Columbia and the
country as whole and the cause of
penology are everlastingly indebted
to Justice Stafford and Mr.. Edison for
that report, viewed in the light Of
what is being done at Lorton and Oc.
coQuan.
The IL commandments Of the Sixty.
ninth Congress, as compiled by the
Republican national committeeman
Is the list Of major laws enacted at
the last session, during the 81 actual
working days, are:
]. The branch banking law.
2. The law creating Federal Radio
Commission and providing for the
control and regulation of radio COM
municatlons.
3. The law reorga nizing the agencies
of the Government intrusted with the
enforcement Of the prohibition act.
4. The rivers and harbors act.
carrying an authorized expenditure of
$50 100000 and providing for the i'm.
provement Of certain inland water.
ways to be used as arteries for the
movement Of domestic commerce.
5. The act providing for salary in
Chief Justice Of the United States
various Federal judicial districts
throughout the United States.
s. The law authorizing the United
States Veterans Bureau to make Gov.
ernment loans on bonus certificates
Z. The Federal milk act.
8. The anti-dumping act, to prevent
destruction Of perishable agricultural
products by those who deal in them.
8. The maritime workers compen.
sation act.
10. An act to establish foreign
commerce service of the United States
under the direction of the United
States Department of Commerce.
II. The law extending the provi.
sions Of the infancy and maternity act
for period Of two years.
IL. A resolution postponing for one
year the date upon which should be-
come operative the provisions Of the
"natioEal origins section of the Inn
migration act of 1924.
The Washington Navy Yard, occu.
pying approximately 40 acres and EN-.
ploying more than 5000 Of the best
machinists in the country, was estab-
lished in 1904 and was one Of the
earliest Government shipyards in the
country. 1t was laid out by Benja.
min II. Latrobe, one Of the architects
who built the Capitol. Historic en-.
trance gates. designed by Latrobe,
have given place to a modern gate
way. The spacious parade ground he
laid out has been largely built over
with machine shops. He purposely
placed the original comman andant's
house in the center of the upper part
Of the yard so that it could all be un-
der the commandant's eye. The Navy
Yard museum contains trophies from
the British, Mexican and Civil Wars.
There are two old-fashioned bronze
muzzle-loading cannon, made in Bar
celona in 1888 and captured by De.
catur from the Tripolitans in 1914.