Evening star., 1937-03-27
By Lucy Salamanca.
S6THE four horsemen of penol

H|HE four horsemen of pencil
ogy are disease, overcroWd-
ing, idleness, despair de-
Il clares the new director of
the Bureau of Prisons of the Depart
ment OF Justice, James v. Bennett.
That, in measure, sums up the
administrative needs of the system, as
the man who has recently come to
dictatorship, after years of association
with prison problems, sees it. But a
more direct commentary upon the
personality of the new director is to
be found in his summation: Il don't
know which of these is the most
destructive. But 1 believe nothing
can have SO degenerating an influence
upon the human being as despair
In that statement is expressed the
recognition of the human value in
the prison problem, the realization
that morale must be maintained, that
the rehabilitation of the prisoner is
of primary Importance, that imprison-
ment alone constitutes punishment
enough, and that brutality, or
breaking" of a mans spirit, should
not be tolerated.
In the thousands of cases that
have come to my individual atten-
tion," says Mr.. Bennett, "and in the
wide contact 1 have had over period
Of years with men who are serving
sentences for wrong doing, / have
yet to find one man who did not
shudder at the thought of prison.
Society need have no concern about
our prisons being made SO attractive
to the men they will want to return;
they need not worry about privileges
of recreation or library or similar
concessions made in prison life
nothing will ever compensate man
for loss of liberty. Imprisonment,
being shut out from life, is punish
ment enough Under the most ideal
of prison conditions no man wants
TO return. Our job is to return that
man to society better fitted to adjust
himself to it and with an attitude of
mind that will not stand in the way
of that Adjustment
THE new director of the Bureau OF
Prisons, it may be judged from
this, is vitality interested in the pris-
oner as an individual. He is. With
out sentimentalizing in the least about
his responsibilities, he has the courage
to risk that charge by saying: 1T is
the cooperation of socially
men and women we need in this effort
to make useful member of society
of the released criminal. Without
their willingness to aid us in absorb
ing into industry and the life OF the
community the man who has served
his sentence and is trying to come
back, the problem is almost hopeless.
Every year in this country ap-
proximately 10000 men are turned
out from our colleges with profess
sional and baccalaureate degrees. They
form an army of job-hunters who have
everything in their favor. They are
young, strong, well-equipped educa-
tionally and socially adjusted. They
have everything to recommend them.
Yet even this favored group expert
ences economic difficulties in securing
employment at the close of their COL
lege courses.
Consider, then, what is ahead of
the man who is released from prison.
This army amounts yearly to about
$4,000 men. According to what prison
life has taught them, they return to
the world eager for readjustment or
embittered against society. And they
must be absorbed by that society All
they bring with them is the degree Of
Ty, &c
record in some cases while confined
and in spite of recommendations of
men equipped to aid in this reha bilita-
ton process, that degree alone is
frequently enough to make industri-
allsts turn thumbs-doWn Immediately
upon such an applicant for job
What are We going to do with
these men? Remember there are
$4,000 OF them every year and We
cannot close our eyes to that fact.
We have got to help them over this
transitional period. We have got to
give helping hand to these fellows
some OF whom are worthy in every
respect Of a second chance"
RENNETT is young man, filled
with the vitality Of concentrated
interest in his work. He is a man
with whom you can talk freely
argue, discuss, question, as you will
For he has that priceless quality of
not having lost himself in his Office.
Appointed February first of this year
to fill the position of director of the
Bureau Of Prisons, to replace Sanford
Bates, who retired, Bennett took over
his new duties with due familiarity
with its problems, its discouragements
and its opportunities.
Transferred to the Department Of
Justice in 1929 from the Personnel
Classification Board, where he had
served as secretary, Bennett assisted
in the ganization of the Bureau
OF Prisons, later becoming assistant
director.
1t was in this capacity that he was
made primarily responsible for the in
dustrial operations carried on in the
Federal penal system, and he came
to be considered an expert in Federal
administrative procedure and per-
sonnel methods, as well as in prison
problems.
While serving as assistant director
under Sanford Bates, Bennett was
also commissioner Of Federal prison
industries. Originally entering the
Federal service from Rhode Island in
1919 under competitive civil service
he was appointed an assistant investi-
gator in the United States Bureau
OF Efficiency. and after a series of
promotions became chief investigator,
detailed to study Office procedure and
policies in Government departments
and cooperating in installing i'm
proved methods.
He is career civil servant Con-
temporaneously with his appointment
the President extended the civil serv-
ice requirements TO all the wardens
and superintendents of the Federal
n,icpnr THING fha C,arara1