Evening star., 1943-11-23
Knox Asked 10 Ease
Barriers 10 Conyicts
Serving in Navy
By the Associated Prsss.

By the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, Nov. 23.-Secretary
OF the Navy Knox was asked to re-
lax restrictions against admission Of
men with criminal records into naval
service In q resolution adopted last
night at the 73d annual dinner Of
the American Prison Association
here.
The resolution said that the pres
ence Of Thousands Of men with
criminal records In the Army re-
veals the fact that such men can
and do make acceptable members
Of the armed forces"
Earlier the Resolutions Commit
tee commended Secretary Of War
Stimson and National Selective
Service Director Hershey for re-
vision Of Army regulations per-
mitting men with criminal records
to enter the Army.
Maury Maverick, director Of the
Government division of the War
Production Board, read messages
from President Roosevelt, Ralph A.
Bard, Assistant Secretary of the
Navy, and Robert P. Patterson, Un-
dersecretary of War.
Halls Increased Output.
This improvement Of prison pro-
duction and morale In wartime Is
an achievement Of great immedi-
ate moment" the Presidents mes
sage said. But prison reform is q
problem which will have equal im-
portance in planning for peacetime
activities. The curbing of delin-
quency Is one of our great public
Mr.. Maverick presented certif-
Gates of merit, first of the kind ever
awarded by the association, to Sam
A. Lewisohn, chairman Of the Com
mittee on Prisons and National De-
Tense OF the association; James v.
Bennett. director OF the United
States Bureau Of Prisons; former
Gov. Dan Turner of Iowa, now 4
consultant to the War Production
Board, and Edward r. Cass, general
secretary Of the association.
The awards were made for "out-
standing service to the Nation" in
helping to develop a program for
the utilization of labor OF prison In
mates and for development of indus
tries and farmlands at prisons and
reformatories.
Report on Delinouencv
At the earlier Congress of Cor
rection, sponsored by the associa-
ton, the Crime Prevention Commit
tee reported that 1t had found no
evidence of a significant overall in
crease in juvenile delinquency since
the United States entered the wat.
tn association passed a resolution
commencing Gov. Ellis Arnall of
Georgia and his administration "for
taking the initial steps to make the
prison system of that State conform
to the best practices in the field
of penology."
Warden Joseph w. Sanford of
Atlanta Penitentiary was elected
president Of the association, succeeds
AAS 4tACAAd1u "A. MC\ISc, SUPERVISOR OF
Washington State institutions. Mrs
Maud Ballington Of the Volunteers
Of America was named honorary
vice president.
Warden Clinton T. Duffy of San
Quentin, Calf, and Franklin r.
Wilson, superintendent of the Penn
sylvania State Industrial Home for
Women, were reelected vice presi-
dents.
Vice presidents chosen were Sam
A. Lewisohn, New York State
Commission of Correction member;
Charles L. Sherwood, chairman OF
the Pardon and Parole Commission
Of Ohio, and Frank M. Smyth, su-
perintendent Of the Virginia State
Penitentiary at Richmond. Execu-
tive Committee members reelected
included the Right Rev. John
O'Grady, secretary of the National
Conference of Catholic Charities.
The sooner you get that War saw
ings stamp in your book the sooner