The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-07-26
Liberal Viewpoint
by DIR. HARRY ELMER BARNES

/
IOUR prison system is one Of the most con-
| ~ spicuous and reprehensible illustrations Of
| what sOciologists call cultural lag In few
phases Of modern life is there a wider gap be-
| tween knowledge and actual practice. We have
ample scientific information to make possible
both the protection of society and the reforma-
! ton Of refornable convicts. But We do neither
! job we'll
One Of the worst features of the prison sys-
TEN is that which pertains to prison labor. Here,
We have gone from one senseleSS extreme to an
other equally indefensibe.
For about half century prior to 1880, con-
victs were exploited by predatory contractors Who
prostituted public interest to private gain. Since
| $780, there has been gradual, but rather COM
| plete extinction of contract labor, ending up in
an even more demoralizing and deplorable gen.
| eral idlenesS Of convicts.
There are a number of reasons for this aston
ishing state of affairs. In the first place, private
business has fought prison made products be-
cause they oppose competition with individuals
supported by the state. In this, they have been
joined by union labor which has fought the
competition imposed by those who were either
paid low wages or, more usually no wages at all
Added to both Of these has been the general in
difference of the public to both the expense i'm
| posed by the support of idle convicts and the
demoralizing effects of this idleness upon our
prison population.
CLOWLY, but surely, prison-made products
~ have been OutlaWed except when sold to
other state institutions-the so-caled state-use
system. This would not be so bad if all state
institutions were compelled to buy available
products from prisons, but they not usually
so compelled. The mandatory obligations are
binding only on one side in all too many cases.
Prisons can sell only to state institutions, but
state institutions are often permitted to buy in
the open market when they please Business
and union labor pressure all to frequently lead
to extensive purchases by state institutions from
private producers
These abuses have been long known, but the
situation is going from bad to worse. I have
Just received a letter from a leading authority
on prison labor in this country, Mr.. James V.
Bennett secretary Of the Prison Labor Author
lty. He calls attention to the deplorable condi
tons. In fact, prison labor conditions are rather
worse in the South and the West than they are
in the states which he mentions.
Il have just returned from Ohio where I
found that approximately 1900 men we're locked
up all day long in their cells in Columbus in
complete idleness, with only grimy deck of
cards and match puzzle to while away the
hours. Occasionally, when no guards are on
the sick list and nothing else in the institu-
tional routine interferes they will be permitted
IS to 20 minutes lock step in the yard for ex-
erciSe.
"DESPITE this appalling situation, the for
- ward-looking Legislature of the State of
Ohio yesterday passed a bill prohibiting the
pathetic little furniture factory at Mansfield
from selling furniture to counties and munich
palities This legislation was of course fostered
and lobbied through by the school furniture
people. Last year they passed a bill which
effectively closed down their printing plant be-
cause it limited the output of the print shops to
the welfare department
Both Of these bills were passed without one
word being spoken by any one in Ohio against
them. In fact no one cared apparently, not
even the so-called welfare department, At least
If they did care-and the present incumbents
complain about the appalling condition of idle
ness-they did not have the courage to say a
word in opposition.
What's happening in Ohio is also true in
Michigan and Illinois. In Rhode Island where
Stage WhitinS model law was passed more than
two years ago and which he alleged would solve
the problem Of prison employment, there is not
one single prisoner at work in industry
In Massachusetts, which has always been
held to be the model state so far as the state
use system is concerned, they are busy passing
law limiting the market for prison goods to
state charitable and penal institutions.
L did not mean to preach you a sermon be-
cause suspect you already know these facts
but 1t is most important that some one who is
not muzzled by being connected with any or
ganlzation do something in the way of focusing
public attention on this matter at once"