The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1933-02-23
AGAINST PRISON LABOR

I
your editorial on prison labor In
Thursdays Tribune. I am sorry ]
cannot agree with you. I am not In
favor Of the use OF convicts for labor
in any form where it may deprive Law
abiding citizens Of their right to work
and earn a livelihood. Particularly
so at the present time when a Job is
so hard to find.
AL Of the bills on prison labor
presented SO far to the legislature at
this session conflict with the employ
ment Of free labor in one way or an
other. All Of them 60 beyond the
confines Of the state penitentiary It.
self in the marketing OF prison made
goods and admit all other state in
stitutions. as well as counties and
municipalities, to participation In
whatever benefits are to be derived
Further, II past policies Of the heads
Of state institutions are to be con-
tinued. 1t will not be long before the
services Of convict labor will be ex-
tended to private individuals and
commercial institutions.
There Is not q single state where
convict labor Is now employed where
the principle and purpose Of that
employment has not been abused and
where the intent of the legislatures
/, has not been overstepped. It is rea-
sonable to assume that the same can
happen in our state also. In the
South, where convict labor has been
used extensively, with its "Higgen-
botham" cases, prison camps, whip
ping posts and what not, its use has
proven a disgrace to the good name
and regulations Of the states using
same. In the South its principal
abuse is from convict labor on high
ways, but there is nothing to prevent
some future legislature from again
taking up the question and making
its application in this state more gen.
eral than might have been the in
tent of this present legislature
Quite a few Of us remember two years
ago when a member Of that legisla-
ture proposed building the new state
capitol with convicts from the state
prison.
note the last paragraph of you,
editorial which is as follows: "Tt
be successful prison industry need
not show large profits. # 1t breaks
even 1t has served a useful purpose
that Of aiding In the solution OF q
very important human problem "
That is where the rub comes in
Prison labor not only deprives law
abiding citizens Of that much en-
| ployment but 1t further sets up de-
gree of competition by sales to the
state, counties and cities, that forces
the legitimate wholesaler and re-
taller to further reduce overhead ex-
pense, resulting inevitably in greater
wage reductions.
At the present time we have the
Irvine plant with an investment too
great to abandon. but by all means
let us stop now all further attempts
to c0mmercialize the convict at the
expense Of the law-abiding laboring
man.
II we are not to stop commercial
ization Of the prisoner then permit
me to suggest q type Of employment
that at least, will not interfere with
labor in this state. Why not give
consideration to the establishment of
linseed oil crusher mill. North
Dakota raises the finest flax In the
world and Minneapolis is the near
est market. Abandon the use Of
high-priced machinery now in use
and use as much hand labor as win
be possible from type Of labor prac-
tically unlimited. The refined lin
seed oil product could be shipped to
market for less money than the flax
itself. The by-products, such as oil
meal and tow. would find ready sale
In our own trade territory. The
availability Of tow right here at home
might be the means Of establishing q
few mattress factories in the state.
It also might be practical for auth
critics at the prison to install equip
ment for the making Of wall board
and panel board. OIL meal, which
has about 81 per cent protein as COM
pared to about u per cent for bran,
should have q ready market with
farmers. and livestock men. It would
not cost any more to install the
above equipment then 1t would to in
stall some Of the requirements which
will be necessary II bills now before
committees are passed.
I believe there are other means OF
solving the convict employment ques-
ton than the foregoing. The psni-
Tertiary at Bismarck is in need OF
improvement and enlargement. ]
understand better sanitation is need
ed and some sort Of sewage disposal
Why not put the prisoners at this
work. Montana has built her entire
penal institution with inmates OF her
own prison. Building after building
has been added with little cost to the
state itself. They have manufac-
tured their own materials and done
their own building, ell with prison
labor. Il It Is practical out there Il
Is just as practical at Bismarck.
North Dakota needs industrial de-
velopment; small factories and a lot
Of them. Shirt, overall, underwear
and wooden goods are among the most
practical and are existent in all our
sister states. Why not encourage the
establishment Of . few. Starting q
factory Of this type at tho state pri-
son. however, = not the right kind
Of inducement.
There should be no opposition to
the furnishing Of employment for
convicts but 1t should be from within