The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-08-28
TIMES PRISON
PLAN BACKED
BY LEGISLATORS
Enthusiastic Support Given
by Men Who Make
States Laws.
Continued from Page Onel


States Laws.
Continued from Page Onel
the penal system is excellent" Sen
atOr Weiss said. 1t is something
that must come Indiana has been
in crying need Of something Of the
sort for years. Politics must be d.
vorced from penal affairs without
delay.
1t is well known that our prisons
are antiquated and must be rebuilt.
Capitalization OF penal affairs Is a
vital matter that is going 70 be
adopted BY every state.
Instead Of having two prisons,
such as the Indiana state prison
and the Pendleton reformatory, the
state should have six or a dozen
prisons. located strategically.
Then. there would be no need
for county isils. With one of the
prisons within an hours drive Of
each county. arresting officers could
place prisoners IN these central in
stitutions for safe keeping. DRINKS
and other petty offenders could be
placed in small lockups located. per-
haps in courthouses, pending a
quick arraignment.
Raps Public Attitude
"wardens and officials of the
prisons would be selected on the
basis Of qualifications and kept IN
der civil service"
Mr.. Weiss said: 1T was no time
for the public 10 ct excited be-
cause a few prisoners escaped"
He added:
The time for the people to act
IS in the elections. II the voters Of
the various counties in the state
had been awake. this situation
would not prevail today. Voters ap-
parently are more interested in
whether a candidate is a good scout,
If he has an attractive personality.
rather than in his qualifications for
office"
Fred E. Barrett, attorney and
Democratic candidate; Walter S.
Glass, 1143 Hoyt avenue. Repub-
lican candidate. and Robert L. Bro
kenburr. Republican candidate. also
Endorsed The Times proposal in the
capacities as potential lawmakers
OF the state.
"On the Right Track"
Mr.. Barrett: The Times is on the
right track. The prison and jail
situation is such that it demands
attention Of the next legislature.
and in all probability. Will get it.
"As for the state police. I think
Al Feeney'S idea of more state po-
lice. independent of politics and on
a civil service and merit basis. is a
good one. In fact. the removal of
all police from political control must
come.
The Times plan for centralized
Jail control is another good one"
Mr.. Glass: I certainly think your
plan is a step in the right direction
In fact, I believe I would go a step
farther and make all state institu-
tiOnS either nOnpartisan or under
civil service control. have had
great deal of contact with insane
hospitals and other State-Operated
institutions and always have found
that political control leads to inefi-
cheney.
As for the civil service control of
county jails, that might have its
merits. but it also might tend to re-
move some of the feeling of respon-
Sibility that sheriffS and jail at
PENDANTS owe the general public.
have not studied that question thor
oughly. however. and am not pre-
pared to speak Of it. I again say
that The Times plan is a step in
the right direction"
Karrer Against Proposal
Mr.. Brokenburr. "As one of the
unified eleven that ran for the leg
islature last spring. I refer YOU to
our platform which calls for just
the thing which you now seek-re-
moval Of prison and police control
from politics as far as possible.
I can not see why prison officials
should be political appOintees and,
as the situation now stands in IN
diana. there ertainly can be no
argument about 1t.
One Democratic candidate for the
legislature was emphatic in his be-
lief that The Times proposal.
should it be enacted. would not
work. He is CLYDE Karrer. attorney
who handles many criminal cases in
city and county courts.
7 don't believe your plan can
work. Mr.. Karrer said. I think
YOU have the right theory and the
right idea. but try and find a board
that would be nOnpartisan. My
experience with those boards, which
now are supposed TO be nom
partisan. is that the members are
lust humans and are governed by
human nature.
AS for the Capitalization of
authority Of sheriffs, 1t is my eX-
perience that 1t has been tried
without success in other states. AS
for a plan that might think would
work. I haven't given it any serious
thought
He's Not Interested
A suit of old clothes and sun
shine meant more 10 Harry w. Olaf
fey. r. r. is. than prison problems
which are perpleXing citizens Of
Marion county and Indiana. Mr.
Claffey IS seeking a post as rep
reSentative on the Republican
ticket.
I don't know anything about the
situation and rather would not say
anything about II" he said. There's
too much Of people shooting of
their mouths about things they
don't know anything about. II there
were less of il. we'd set along a lot
better.
7 know a LOT about taxes roads