The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-02-11
MISS COWLES URGES SUP PORT FOR JAIL
 BILL
Waterbury Democrat .

Editor, Waterbury Democrat:
 "Women not to be committed to Jail": House Bill 497-Hear.ng be- fore Judiciary Committee, Wedncs- day, February 18th at l;3o p, m' Old senate chamber, State Capitol Hartford.
 This announcement will spur your attendance-if you ever visit Wo- men In Jail.
 Perhaps your attempts meet re- piles like ours. "Nol- She's a sick polanderl She don't speak English, and don't want to sec you" or Nol we have only two women-and they can't stop working" Another time perseverance brings you into the room in the Sheritf's home, where one lone female enjoys solitary con- flnement, or you meet prisoner acting as maid to the Sheriff,
 Maybe Q kindly Jailor's wife in- vites you to her Women's Ward ad- joining Q line of cells: you distribute books to girls, between i6 and GO; you admire the boise of the Bandit girl and the charm of the Shop liter"
 In e larger jail you may sec from 6 to 20 women. black and white sit- ting around or If engaged, in laun- dry work-they politely stop to hear your discourse.
 You appreciate the devotion of jail matrons and jailers wives, but aside from providing sewing mater ials, there is so little that can be done to relieve boredom. Minus equipment minus funds, minus teachers, few instructions are pos- sible, outside the routine.
 The Jailor'S wife declares: Mary's e splendid wOrker-if only she dld- nt drink" "Anna does lovely cro- chet!ng--see this bed spread she made me" "Oh, that pretty little thing2--she's in for immortality"
 Perhaps you gain permission to converse with e melancholy young creature, and discover that she has committed adultery. No. has die vorced her. She Is going out to mar " No. 2. That may be legal" but you wonder--what If her future and what about the baby3
 ! knew one girl who learned from an inmate" that immortality was Q good paying racket" and went out of jail to practice this teaching in hopes of earning the costs, over tio0. necessary to release her sick husband from Jail. She was rescued, and 6 mortified judge ordered that that prisoners costs be cancelled; {; but Oh, the scores of other prison- CTS, whom Parnassus on Wheels has been powerless to rescue.
 Oh, women who sit ct easel Wo. men who receive free, the luxurics or the mere descencieS, for which other women sin and suffer. Re- member this judiciary hearing. Feb- raary 18th At 1880 D. rn.. Hartford Capitol, and support by your pres- ence this bill, not to Commit Wo- men to Jail.
 Parnassus bears witness to con. ditions in 6 county joils; to be de- prived as c rule, of outdoor exercise: {: to endure depressing Jail architec- tsire of stalls, bars, blank corridors uf not solitary confinement. in one or two rooms, or the alieviation Of house service in the sheriff's fam iiy)); to est, to loaf, to do manual tasks unrelated to your offense: dis- connected with your past or future: to be allowed . bit Of sewing "to take your mind" off boredom: to en- ter and depart, . branded. damaged article, that seems to be the usual aItuation sneted out to women 'n tails, despite the touching efforts of ir1atrous and taiibr's wives.
 The alternative, to sentence wc- szaen over f6 to Mantle State Farm, is the difference between hopeless