Evening star., 1944-05-08
Welfare Board
Moves 10 Name
Penal Chief
Morris Reports Many
Of Rover Suggestions
Being ImpIemented

n
The Board of Public Welfare has
taken three steps to obtain a gen.
eral superintendent of penal insti-
tutions, post now being filled by
Ray L. Huff, director of welfare,
and has moved to put many of the
26 recommendations of the Rover
Committee into effect at the Dis
trict Jail, Edgar Morris, chairman
of the board, reported to Commits
Sioner Mason today.
Mr.. Morris informed Mr.. Mason
that the board had instructed Mr..
Huff to take the following steps to
obtain a superintendent:
Obtain the names of possible can
didates from the Bureau of Prisons
of the Department of Justice; re-
quest the names of persons men,
toned by the Rover Committee as
possible candidates, and request
register of eligibles from the Civil
Service Commission.
The Rover report on Jail opera
tions, made public April 13, did not
mention specific candidates for the
post, but strongly urged that one
be named and said, I'VE are con-
vinced a competent man can be
secured"
Most Suggestions Favored.
In general, the Welfare Board
agreed with the 26 recommended
tions, but submitted some of them
to committees for further study or
stated that additional personnel
would be required to carry others
into effect.
Mr.. Morris said the board agreed
on the need for additional guards.
matrons and higher pay, and had
instructed Mr.. Huff to carry data
from the Federal Bureau of Prisons
on their salaries for guards. Mr..
Huf has been told to take up the
problem of improving medical serv-
ices at the Jail with Health Officer
George G. Ruhland.
Increased recreation time for CELL
olock lnmates-one of the principle
recommendation of the Rover Com
mittee-has already been put into
effect, Mr.. Morris said. Men are
now given three hours day in the
recreation room, plus time for eat
ing. Granting male inmates out
door recreation, however, depends
upon sufficient manpower." Mr..
Morris added.
No Action on Diet Problems.
The board, which met April "a
and 28, took no action on dietary
problems because the report OF
Frank w. Hoover, general manager
OF the Welfare and Recreational
Association, was not available at
those meetings. Mr.. Hoover's re-
port. which urged an increase in
daily food allowances per prisoner
from % cents to "a cents, was made
public over the week end.
Other steps taken by the board
on recommendations were:
The board promised to improve
shaving and bathing facilities: Mr..
Huff has been asked to work out
plans for religious services; plans
are being completed for a canteen;
the District engineer Office will be
asked to inspect the heating and
ventilating systems of the Jail; pro-
visions will be made for segregating
prisoners awaiting trial from those
already convicted; the problem of
closer coordination among penal
will be submitted to the
Penal Committee; the review of
rules and regulations at the Jail will
be made by the Penal Committee,
and the corporation counsel and
the District Bar Association will be
asked to review laws affecting penal
institutions and the question of
longer sentences for intoxication.
Commission on Correction.
Regarding suggestion of the
Rover Committee that it might be
desirable to create commission on
correction, Mr.. Morris said that
was matter for study and recon-
mendation by citizens committee,
If and when appointed, in con-
junction with the proposed bill to
redeflne the powers of the Board
of Public Welfare" He insisted that
constant inspections and visits to
the institutions" were being made.
The Rover Committee was named
in January by the Commissioners
after charges had been made that
favoritism had been shown
prisoner at the Jail 1t was COM
posed of Leo A. Rover, former
United States attorney; former
Commissioner Luther H. Reichelder-
fer and Bruce Baird, president of