Evening star., 1946-04-06
Prison Experts Back
Gill as OUTSTANDING
Man in His Field

superintendent, who has blamed
the Board of Public Welfare for
escapes from the District Jail, to-
day won the support of prison ex-
perts attending the Institute for
Correctional Workers at the Mount
Vernon Methodist Church.
Mr.. Gill was described as zone OF
the outstanding prison men in the
country" by Prof. Nathaniel F.
Cantor, chairman of the depart
ment Of sociology and anthropology
at the University of Buffalo.
The Districts penal system,
operated by the Welfare Board, was
condemned by Wilbur La Roe, jr,
member of the Board of Indeter-
inmate Sentence and Parole, for its
lack of a training program at Lorton
Reformatory.
He complained that prisoners are
"quasi-surfs" forced to serve the
needs of the District Of Columbia
by making fire hydrants, automobile
tags and police uniforms instead of
learning a trade they can use when
they get out.
Now I ask you, how can the
Parole Board get men jobs making
fire hydrants and auto tags?" he
asked.
Prison Industry Pleas Ignored.
Mr.. LaRoe said that his board,
which reports directly to the Com
missioners, has asked repeatedly for
the establishment of a constructive
prison industry program.
Charles v. Morris, secretary of the
correctional division of the Council
of Social Agencies, which is spon-
soring the institute, declared that
the recommendations Of other speak
ers for prison rehabilitation programs
back up what Mr.. Gill has said be-
fore" Before an inquiry board hear
ing charges filed against him by the
Welfare Board, Mr.. Gill has blamed
jail conditions on the failure of the
Welfare Board to support his pleas
for more personnel and physical
Improvements to overcome insecure
features of the Jail.
Austin H. Mccormick special as
sistant to the Secretary of War,
said he could sympathize with any,
one trying to run an adequate pris-
on with inadequate personnel and
facilities"
Alcoholic Clinics Urged.
He complained of "paragoric pris-
ons" where the discipline consists
of keeping the prisoners nice and
quiet although they may be vegetat-
ing" and advocated establishment
of alcoholic clinics and vocational
rehabilitation programs.
Testifying before the Inquiry
Board, Fred 8. Kogod, member of the
Welfare Board listed the alcoholic
clinic established by Mr.. Gill at the
Jail as "one Of his crazy ideas"
Answering charge that he
failed to maintain discipline, Mr.
Gill said that guards who testified
against him conceived of discipline
as preventing noise and making the
prisoners obey the rules.
The guards at the prison, un-
trained in modern methods, do not
realize that the prevention of es-
capes and importation of contra
band into the prison are part of
the job of maintaining discipline,
Mr.. Gill continued. The energies of
prisoners must be turned from de-
structive to constructive fields, he
said
Judge Fay Bentley Presides.
Judge Fay L. Bentley of Juvenile
Court presided at todays session
on institutional treatment pro-
grams. Speakers included Prof,
Cantor, DR.. Dale C. Cameron, as
sistant chief of the Division of
Mental Hygiene, Public Health
Service, and DR.. Louis N. Jacobs
of the National Training School
for Boys.
Speaking yesterday. Mr.. MacCor-
mick charged that prisons are the
prey and the victim" OF selfish
manufacturers who refuse to per-
NIT them to establish prison indus
tries that turn out anything pro-
ductive.
Manufacturers won't share one
penny with the prisons. They won't
permit prisoners to produce any,
thing useful. They will lobby against
you every time" he asserted.
Vocational training programs will
fill the bill for some of the prisoners,
but others not going in to highly
technical industries should be do
ing something productive, he argued.