Evening star., 1933-09-10
Capital Sidelights
BY WILL p. KENNEDY.


The recent foot strike at Lorton
Reformatory Of the National Capitals
penal institutions, which resulted in the
resignation of A. C. Tawse. the su-
perintendent, and the appointment OF
Maj. w. L. Peak, the veteran in prison
service, who had made notable record
at the District Jail, focuses attention
on this model penal system Of the Ma
tion's Capital, which was built up on
the recommendation of a special COM
mission appointed by President Theo-
dOre Roosevelt a quarter of century
ago.
The report made to the President
and submitted to Congress on Janu-
ary IL, 1909, is outstanding because
of its literary merit as well as the
logical summariZation following ex-
tensive research and inspection of the
leading penal institutions of this coun-
try. 1t was written by Justice Wendell
Phillips Stafford, and with him was
associated John Joy Edison, for many
years leader in humanitarian works
in the Capital, and Robert v. La Dow
representing the Department of JUS
tice.
Concluding that report, Justice Stat
ford wrote: You may remember, sir
that Plutarch relates this anecdote OF
certain ambassadors from Sparta
When asked whether their proposals
were offered in their own name as
individuals or In the name of the
state. they replied: In the name OF
the state if we succeed; If we fail, IN
our own In the same spirit We leave
this report in your hands"
Emphasizing their purpose to design
a system that would be a model for the
entire country. these commissioners
said: The system we are invited to
propose Is q system for the District OF
Columbia, the seat Of the National Gov
ernment. The capital OF 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 in
f1uence will 60 out for good or for evil
IN every direction and possibly to every
nook and corner of the land We wish
to see system adopted which may be-
come model to all who are seeking
to improve their own institutions and
policies and which shall be worthy to
form part Of the law of q wise and
just people"
How wide was the scope OF their
study and how broad -visioned was their
planning is shown in the report. which
states: The problem presented has
seemed to us to be of such magnitude
and TO involve such far7reaching con-
sequences that it could not be wisely
solved without looking to the future
as well as to the present: without con-
steering the probable growth of the city
as well as its present needs; without
considering those new and better meth
n vi tr.k.t .tnk,
have been successfully adopted in many
States: without, in short, considering
the whole penal system of the District
both as it IS and as it ought to be
and without taking note of the condi-
tons which produce crime, and whose
removal it is possible and practicable
70" us to secure"
This commission, which wrote a new
chapter in prison reform through set
ting up the framework Of a unique sys-
tenn. extended its inquiry under the di-
rection of the Attorney General to in
stltutions and statutes in other States
visiting and inspecting lails or work
houses in Pittsburgh. Baltimore, Phila-
delphia. New York. Boston, Cleveland
Detroit and Chicago; the reformatories
at Concord Junction, Mass: Elmira, N
Y. and Mansfield. Ohio, as well as
penitentiaries and prisons in Maryland
New York. Massachusetts and the
United States Penitentiary at Leaven-
worth, kans. 1t collected and examined
the literature of the subject. CORE
sponded with wardens and other Off
Gals OF penal institutions. and attended
the American Prison Congress in 1905
at Richmond, Va; it consulted experts
III penology: it gave hearings to off
Gals and others engaged or interested
in the subject.
Acting upon recommendations Of this
commission, President Roosevelt urged
lowing program:
First. That the present Jail be used
as the house of detention after its in
terror shall have been modernized.
Second. That a probation system be
established at once by enacting a SIM
pie and inexpensive probation law
Third. That a reformatory be estab-
lished upon a tract of land of not less
than 1000 acres. widely separated from
any other penal institution. consisting
of unreclaimed land which can be
cleared cultivated and built upon by
the prisoners themselves. That eventu-
ally there shall be established upon
this tract shops wherein a variety OF
industries may be taught and carried
on. the product being easily consumable
by the various District departments.
Fourth. That another tract of land
of equal size be secured at once as the
site for a workhouse That this also
shall be unreclaimed land upon which
the workhouse prisoners may be put
to work preparing the land for culti-
vation and erecting the necessary build
irlgS.
Fifth. That the class of prisoners
not proper to be sent either to the re-
formatory or the workhouse be sent
for the present to the United States
penitentiaries at Leavenworth and At
lanta. and that for the present no peni-
tentiary be erected specially for the
District of Columbia.
Sixth. That a parole law be enacted
upon the principles set forth in the
report.
It is a notable monument to the zeal
of those two able civic leaders-Jonn
Joy Edison and Justice Wendell P. Stat
ford-that the model institutions, the
reformatory at Lorton and the WORK
house at Lorton. have been built, VIII
the prisoners housed in modern, flre-
proof brick buildings which they them
selves erected with brick they them'
selves made out Of shale deposit on
the property. and that NUMBER OF
industries have now been in operation
for several years. Congress has oeiore
it for early action model parole law
industry, bound up as it is with the
fortunes of the farmer. hnds ltseii ll