Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-12-05

interests but they now are working
SIS hours week, when even the
prison laws require no more than
az hours of them.
When the United States went to
war they asked to be allowed to
lengthen their working hours, and
to toll on Sundays, Saturdays and
holidays. On New Year Day, 1912,
the entire prison population volun-
teered to work and contribute what
they earned to the Red Cross. Since
December 7 the men in this one
prison have purchased more than
100000 in War bonds out of their
scanty pay. They have donated
nearly $4,000 TO the Red Cross, and
they have given more than 500 pints
of blood, or good 10 per cent Of
all the blood donated in this area.
In little more than year the pris-
oners have stepped up their produc-
ton an even 400 per cent.
They are building many vital
things for the Army and the Navy.
Out Of their shops come aviator kit
bags, azimuth cases, canvas hampers,
canvas water tanks, clothing, cot
ton duck for military purposes, mail
bags, mattresses, sea bags, shell
covers, stretchers, tarpaulins, tents
and trunk and plane covers.
I went through the big prison
with Warden Joseph w. Sanford,
originator of The Sanford Plan.
which, in nutshell, maintains that
if prisoners are treated as men they
will respond as men. Certainly
proof of how we'll this rehabilita-
ton plan works was before my eyes
| everywhere I turned.
Once the big gate Changed be-
hind me, lost all sense of being in
prison. We walked through hum
ming cotton mills, where busy wor-
kerS nodded at their boss and
smiled We visited classrooms
where men were learning everything
from their ABC's to complicated
trades. We walked through
library that many college would
like to own, and through Bible
classes where men gathered Of their
own free will and accord to study
the Book whose rules they had
broken.
Never once was there a single re-
minder that we were inside prison
walls The men didn't shuttle. They
didn't turn their heads. They looked
you in the eye. There were no lines
Of marching men. They walked
about like students on a campus.
Inside the prison proper the
guards are completely unarmed.
There is not single blackjack. a
single billy. or gun. In fact, the
only men who had instruments that
could be used for violence, were the
prisoners themselves. They welded
mallets, big scissors and cutting
knives while their guards walked
about unarmed. In one four STORY
industrial building there was but
one guard.
Warden Sanford showed me about
the prison as If 1t were nothing but
huge industrial plant Of which he
was rightfully proud. He didn't
talk about the prisoners as such.
but as workmen who we're doing a
good job of work for their country.
When he addressed young prisoner
he said, "Son. would you mind show
ing the gentleman how your ma
chine works." The old ones he
knew by name and stopped to have
a chat with many of them.
The prison magazine, the Allan
tan, is one of the best magazines
published in the South. Its edi- i,
torial policy now is based on the
value Of prisoners as fighting men
and 1t makes very good case of it.
The magazines humor page reflects
the cheerful attitude Of the men
behind the walls. A poem on the
blood bank is typical:
Don't be surprised If you hear
the news that some American soldier
down in Australia wins the D. S. C.
and steals the colonels watch all
at the same time. 1t won't be his
fault. It'll be mine, and the Red
Cross will share the rap for they
came out and let us give them
blood this month"
1t was heartening to visit this
prison and meet the man who
runs it.
Distributed By McNaught Syndicate, Incl