Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-07
HOOVER PAROLE ACT
ECHOES IN PRISONS
Convicts Hear of Presidents
Plans Through "Grape-
vine Telegraph"

Along the mysterious, invisible lines
Of the grapevine telegraph" that be-
! gin and end in the imagination, the
word has filtered to the darkest cells
In the stanchest prisons that Presi-
dent Hoover favors extension of the
Federal parole system.
The telegraph wires of the visible
world only yesterday carried the PreSi-
dents announcement that he would
ask authority of Congress to increase
the number of Federal probation Of
ficers.
He made known that Sanford Bates,
the new director of prisons, is convinced,
to use Mr.. Hoovers words, that he
can find a larger number of prisoners
who merit probation, and not only
their own good, but the good of Federal
Government will be served by having
them out"
Word Will Go Down Line.
Down the cell line, "Hogan's Alley"
in Atlanta Penitentiary; along the
guarded pits in priSoner-named tiers in
leavenWorth Prison, and among the
men society has tagged at Mcneil
Island Washington, the Presidents OBJ
Servation will find its way, as surely
as though printed copies of his remarks
were handed to each prisoner.
There is no explaining the grapevine
leIeSIdpIl. IL operates "a IlOuTS a Gay,
without organization, without operators
or telegraph instruments. 1t is
phenomenon that pays handsome divi-
dends to the police as well as to hunted
men. 1t is known in every city in the
world and is accepted and used as
mysterious avenue by which the crimi-
nal world keeps its inhabitants in
formed.
Even now within a few hours of the
H.
fore the first tentative phrases of a
bill possibly can be drafted for con-
Sideratton by Congress, agencies are
moving to take full advantage of any
increase in facilities for parole that
may be made available.
Activity Is Feverish.
The grapevine telegraph has set in
motion feverish activity. In the
prison cells gnarled hands are puohing
stub pencils across soiled bits of writ
ing paper. and 1t will be one of the
duties of the Post Office Department
to carry on what the grapevine tele-
graph has started.
For as certain as men can write, letters
are being written in increasing num-
Der, letters addressed to wives. parents.
children; to friends ION the outside;
to welfare societies, judges, lawyers and
politicians messages urging that papers
and records in criminal cases be sub
united to Judges and boards of parole
Many cases represent endless circles
around which letters will pass, urging
relief and freedom when reasonable ex-
pectatlon long since has departed.
president HooVer'S lew words on the
subject OF parole thus may lead ultl-
mately to an increase of thousands OF
dollars In postal business. Letter writ
ing Will extend to State and county
prisons and jallS, for wherever q man
Is lncarcerated there is hope; the fact
that the Federal Government may not
nave jurisdiction makes little difference
Interesting possibilities in an extern
sion OF parole are indicated in the an
nual report of the Attorney General of
the United States for the fiscal year
ending June 30. 1928, the latest aIau-
able. The total number Of Federal
prisoners of all classes IN the penlten-
tiaries and IailS at the end of the year
was 1896, as against 1878 for the
previous year, the gain in the number
at the larger institutions, estimated at
10 per cent, being Offset by a cor
responding decrease in the number of
prisoners receiving sentences Of one
year or less.
Hoover Cites Overcrowding.
OF these larger prisons, Atlanta and
LeaVenworth were commented on yes
terday by President Hoover. Atlanta
is 120 per cent over capacity in inmates
at the present time" the President said,
land Leavenworth 81 per cent, all of
which is the cause of infinite demoral-
ization and the direct cause of out
breaks and trouble"
In his report to Attorney General
Sargent, A. Fl. Conner, then super
intendent of prisons, said that 1927
prisoners were released on parole i'll
the fiscal year, as compared with l,104
released the previous year, an increase
OF II per cent. On June 80, 1928, there
were 902 prisoners on parole, as COM
pared with $50 on the same date the |
previous year. Earnings of prisoners
on parole during the year amounted |
to S1,045, 398.49.
On the subject Of probation, Conner
made the following report:
Owing to the delay in receiving suit
able civil service lists and the reluc- |
tance of some judges to appoint proba-