Evening star., 1934-11-04

they are the most vociferous, who
call out for vengeance-who demand
that the man who has once offended
against society be kept in prison as
long as possible, kept on the rock pile
and fed on bread and water"
Actually, DR.. johnson said, virtually
nothing had been done along these
lines because Of the lack of funds.
The only social service done at Lorton
Is that accomplished by Capt. M. M.
Barnard, general superintendent of
District penal institutions, whom DR..
johnson declared had been a very
great influence for good in the lives
Of hundreds Of men, but who worked
alone and at great odds.
Even with these handicaps the board
has been able to parole, sometimes with
misgivings, about half the prisoners
who applied, and in a few cases only
has its judgment proved wrong. The
board has taken many chances. Yet
conservative estimate of the cost of
keeping these men in prison for a year
exceeds $4,000. With facilities for
making investigations they could have
let out great many more.
\ Many Wrongly Freed.
In some cases, DR.. johnson pointed
out, men left Lorton-and there is
nothing that could have been done
about it-who were bound to be
menace to society. These are the men
who showed psychiatric tendencies.
There was no way to give them psy-
chiatric examinations which would
have revealed how potentially danger
GUS they are.
In his letter of resignation, DR..
johnson said:
In August, 1882, when I was asked
by DR.. Reichelderfer former Commits
Sioner), to serve on the newly created
Parole Board, accepted with enthusi-
asm, since saw potentialities for de-
veloping in Washington modern pa
role and probation system and, more
important than this, that through such
a set-up there was opportunity to
study over a considerable period of
time all the factors entering the de-
velopment of crime and mental illness.
I'VE, very shortly after our organiza-
ton, forwarded to the Commissioners
and the Board of Public Welfare rec
concentrations as to what we would
need to carry out the above plans and
the act Of Congress creating the board.
We were amazed to discover that no
appropriations were available for such
purpose. We had impressed the neces-
sites upon the Commissioners a dozen
times by letter and personal interviews
since that time.
Executive Attitude Cheering.
I'VE were hopeful that the public
expressions of the President and Mrs.
Roosevelt that Washington should de-
velop the model probation and parole
system would carry some influence. We
were further cheered when the Presi-
dent requested the director of the
budget to confer with you relative to
setting up in Washington model pro-
baton and parole system.
In your recent letter to me YOU
say: 1t would be impracticable at this
time to add to the budget estimates >
In view of the fact that this matter
has been in your Office for 1S months.
can only assume that this is another
way OF calling my attention to the
TACT that I have overestimated the i'm
portance of this whole matter.
Therefore, that your honorable
board may be relieved of my impor-
tunities and because have no interest
OF continuing perfectly useless and
perhaps harmful type of work, I re-
spectfully tender my resignation to
take effect at your earliest con-
venience."