Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-08

have such changes In their laws REGARD.
ing the sale Of prison.made goods thai
many existing prison industries must
be reorganized. OF the six New Eng
land States i've now use to some ex-
tent the contract system Of prison Ia
Dor. In all probability this system VIII
have to be abolished by 1884. Contract
prison labor Is now prohibited In the
Federal prison and wholly or In certain
form prohibited in % of the States.
III we are to give prisoners employ
ment, we make them producers, and 1t
must be conceded that to some extent,
somewhere, they must come into COM
petition with free men and women
who are. or who might be, laborers In
such competition at q minimum, and
free labor has the right to expect such
protection as may be consistent with
the successful operation Of prisons.
1T has been natural that State
should seek first of all to protect its
own people and regulate prison industry
so as to interfere locally as little as
possible. But the problem transcends
State lines. In the struggle to make
prisons partially self-supporting 1t Is
essential that there be little conflict
between the States and important that
the problem be regarded nationally.
at Is likely that prison production
Of goods designed primarily for State
or institutional use will be presently
stimulated. It will be economically adj
vantageous II the production of differ
ent kinds Of goods Is allocated to the
various prisons with some system.
"As governors you are primarily In
terested In State penal institutions, but
you are aware that the problem Of en-
ployment is perhaps more acute In
county jails. Small numbers of prison.
ers and small budgets make employ
ment dificult. II the question Of prison
industry is to be studied In any State
in anticipation of the effective date of
the Hawes-Cooper bill, 1t would seem
most humane to include In the field
Of study the conditions In penal insti-
tutions of the political subdivisions Of
the State. -.
language in their laws indicating the
employment of prisoners on road build
ing or other public works. Perhaps the
comparative simplicity and better as
sured financial return Of the contract
or piece price manufacturing system is
responsible for comparatively little such
work. It would seem to be q field not
particularly competitive with free labor
and perhaps in five years will be more
commonly resorted to.
give years pass quickly. Business
nowadays must plan for the future, and
it is the duty Of those in charge Of pub
lie business to plan beyond their ex-
to formulate wise legislation and time
to effect its passage. Five wears Is none
too long. And we are dealing not only
with q business problem, but with q
problem that involves the reintroduc-
ton into good citizenship OF our fellow
men,"
THE national council Of the National
Il Woman's Party will meet at the
headquarters Of the organization on
Capitol Hill September %. Plans tor
moving into the new headquarters OF
the Woman's Party will be discussed.
Party, which is to be held within the
next few months. also will be one OF
the chief matters before the council.
Mrs. L. s. Houston Of Cuba, chair
man of the Cuban branch Of the Ma
tional Woman's Party, visited the head
quarters of the Woman'S Party on Cap
itol Hill last week.
Mrs. Houston sees a definite advance
, in the equal rights movement in Cuba
in the passage Of new nationality
law providing that no Cuban woman
marriage with a foreigner. unless she
voluntarily has herself naturali2ed in
her husbands country.
While in Washington, Mrs. Houston
was entertained at q dinner at the
National Woman's Party headquarters
given by Miss Laura Berrien. member
of the national council of the party
other officials Of the organization pres
ent at the dinner were Mrs. Nina AL
lender and Mrs. Burnita Shelton Mat
thews of Washington and Mrs. John
Rogers of New York.