Smyrna times., 1933-02-22
URGE STORES
BE PROTECTED
PrisOn-Made Articles Not TO
Compete, Could Aid Pris-
Oners Families
BILL IN LEGISLATURE

Protection Of Delaware manufac-
turers and merchants against the
prison industries of the State is be
ing urged in bill by the Division
Of Industry Of the State Federation
Of Women's Clubs A plan was de-
scribed recently by Mrs. Clarence
Fraim, chairman of the division.
which would eliminate this COM
petition, and at the same time
benefit the families Of prisoners in
the New Castle County Work
house. The plan provides that the
State and its subdivisions of gov
ernment use goods produced by the
States prisoners instead of buying
such goods from other sources,
and that the profits be used to sup
port their families. Representa-
tive Van Solver has introduced the
bill in the Legislature in conform
ity with the Federal Haines- Coop
er act. Mrs. Fraim said the bill
had been carefully drafted after
joint conferences with representa-
tives Of organized labor and organ
ibed industry and was in accord
ance with Governor Bucks mes
sage. First of ALL" said Mrs.
Fraim, Delaware should protect
itself by legislation from becoming
the dumping ground for all States
manufacturing goods in their pris-
ons for sale on the open market.
Other States, including Massachu-
setts, New York, New Jersey,
Pennsylvania and Ohio, are passing
such legislation to protect them
selves. Since this protection for
Delaware manufacturers and mer-
chants cannot be obtained as long
as the State sells its own products
on the open market in unfair com
petition with free labor and free
industry, it is obvious that Della
ware should change it's own system
of disposing of prison products
After January, 1884, when the
Hawes-Cooper act takes effect,
goods made in Delaware can be
shipped to few, if any, other states.
The State must adopt the system
of producing goods for its own in
stitutions. The State-use system
has been in operation for many
years in neighboring States. Op-
position to the contract system of
prison labor on the part of the
women of the country began with
the realization that the women en-
ployed IN the needle trades were
suffering severely in the loss of
work and the lowering of wages be-
cause of the unfair competition
from prison-made goods. Prison
labor competition produced sweat
shop conditions in free industry
The interest and sympathy of the
women were further enlisted in be-
half of the blind when the sale of
prison made brooms on the open
market at prices below the market
threatened to deprive the blind
men and women of one of the few
occupations in which they could
earn wage. The unfair competi-
tion of prison made goods sold on
the open market affects many 9TH
er industries, but the blind could
not humanely be ignored. The
constructive remedy offered by the
organized women of the country,
in cooperation with organized in
dustry and organized labor, was
that, instead of making money for
private contractors, the prisoners
of the State should produce goods
used by the State and its subdi-
visions Of government and that the
profits Of the labor should be de-
voted primarily to paying wages
to the prisoners SO employed so
that they might aid in the support
Of their families"