The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-02-26
By SASHA SMALL

Warden Lewis z. LaWes OF Sing
Jing has the reputation Of being the
most liberal of prison wardens in this
country. And doesn't he know It'll He
announced it to us in the first SEN
fences he spoke and his cringing as
JistantS, the Reverend Fathers Nc
Caffery, Peterson KATE and DR.. Baker
eminded him of it in every sen
lence they uttered.
The reason for this delegation. Or
panied by the National Committee
Tor the Defense of Political Prisoners,
was the barring from Sing Sing Of
working class publications, particu-
.arly the Labor Defender, official Or
yan Of the international Labor De-
tense, and the New Masses. We went
up to find out why they had been
Jared. to demand that they be ad-
mitted and to announce to Warden
Lawes that this was part of a ma
ional campaign being launched by
The LID. for the recognition of the
tatus Of political prisoners in this
country, as well as the securing for
Them those special privileges due to
POLITICAL prisoners.
The warden was expecting us at 2
I'm, After the male members OF the
delegation were searched by armed
guards we were ushered into the spa
2ious, sunny Office Of the warden. You
can see all parts Of the prison from
It's high Windows-eyen the thick
wall with the armed guards on top
Of it, There's a marVelously soft rug
on the floor and the walls are COW
cred with autographed pictures Of
everybody from President Roosevelt
and Al Smith to a prize fighter Or
wo.
Chairs we're arranged in wide
snni-circle around the Warden's desk.
at one end of the room were seated
She Spiritual" and mental guardians
Of the inmates Of Sing Sing. A Cath
olic priest, q Protestant chaplain,
Jewish rabbi and a sleepy psychia-
rist.
The discussion was slow at the be-
ginning Was there censorship in
Sing Sins? Yes. of course, there was
censorship. Who was the censor?
Well the buck was passed from the
New York State Beard of Education
to the Commissioner of Prisons, to
Father McCadery to the Warden
and back to the rules Of correction
without a definite answer.
IS
7uHAT was the basis for censorship?
w Again we were treated to a ram
ding, description of the problems
facing the keepers of such a LARGE
institution; $500 prisoners of so
many types, ages, grades Of intelli-
gence. Il am the father Of these
men," Warden Lawes told US and
hen pleadinely, Men in prison must
Csc some Of their rights"
Books il the prison library? There
IS list, you see, provided by the
State Bead of Education. When Won
want to buy books for the library you
9ubmit your budget and the titles to
his board. Who made up this list
md how old is il? Much rambling
conversation brought out the feet
S~A1-V t-~C 44op was vi 5u1Glly tDdCp I'D
by the National Denfease Committee
during the war. It was revised
around 1920 or so. But how about
cooks that come out every week. ev-
ry day? They don't appear on the
ist SO Father McCafery reads them.
THAT is the basis for his censorship?
The Father, who is very fat youn~
aan, turned very red and said a goo.
7any words that meant nothing.
Magazine and periodicals do not
appear on this list. Who and what
determines whether or not the pris-
,ners may receive them? Again
many words and much evasion,
5prinkled with case studies of pris-
2ners who are of such low mentalit,
nd hioh tension that a picture liz
Adolph Dehn's caricatures Of Catho-
&c priests in the New Masses (spe. /
officially mentioned by Warden
Lswes) might incite them t9 mur-