Evening star., 1954-04-20
By Don S. Worren


Two members Of the Senate
Judiciary Committee. one Re-
publican and one Democrat. yes
terday denounced as untrue the
charges by Representative Broy-
hill, Republican, of Virginia that
the Federal prison system is
rotten to the core"
They were Chairman LANCER,
North Dakota Republican. and
Senator Hennings, Missouri
Democrat.
Visited None, He Says.
Both said they have personally
inspected Federal prisons and
have observed operations in de-
tail. Chairman LANCER said
he had been advised that the
critical Congressman Che didn't
mention Mr.. Broyhill by name)
had never visited a single one
Of the 26 institutions:
Senator LANCER stressed this
point by saying that one of the
institutions was less than three
hours by automobile from here
and another was located on Bla-
densburg road. Apparently he
referred to the Reformatory for
Women at Anderson. w. Va, and
to the National Training School
for Boys here, both mentioned in
the Broyhill attacks on the ad-
ministration of the Bureau Of
Prisons by James v. Bennett,
director.
Senator LANCER told the Sem
ate: irresponsible charges that
the prison system is rotten to
the core strikes. of course, at
the patriotism, the devotion and
the integrity of every warden,
staff member and officer. I know
this is just not true"
Hennings Defends Bennett.
He was quickly supported by
Senator Hennings. who told OF
his own visits to the institutions
and declared that Mr.. Bennett,
instead of needing defense,
should rather be the recipient
of our gratitude and our praise"
The Missouri Senator called
Mr.. Bennett man dedicated to
the highest ideals and motives"
and an official Of the highest
technical competence in the field
of penology.
Will Press Probe More.
Mr.. Broyhill said he would
continue to push for House Rules
Committee action on his resolu-
ton calling for creation Of a
select House committee to in
vestigate the Bureau of Prisons.
the National Training School for
Boys and the Federal and Dis
trict parole systems.
Learning of Senator Langer's
remark about his irresponsible
charges" the Virginia Repub-
lican turned it around by asking
who was making irresponsible
charges. He said Senator LANCER
was "prejudging the case before
he knows the facts or what ]
have been talking about"
Mr.. Broyhill added: Il have
been working on this for nine
months. I did not gather my
information from any disgrun-
tied persons. but from officials
whose identities I cannot yet re-
veal. plan to do this later. and
some of the information is dyna-
mite"
Mr.. Broyhill said he got into
the subject because of his inter-
est in the welfare Of the National
Capital Che is a member of the
House District Committed and
because of complaints about the
crime situation in the District.
The National Training School
for Boys was involved, he said.
as well as the parole system, To-
cal and Federal.
Charged "Coddling."
The Senate reaction resulted
primarily from Broyhill charges
that prison officials were cod
ding convicts and giving soft
treatment to Communists and
sex perverts and operating some
institutions as country clubs"
Senator LANCER accused Mr..
Broyhill of distorting testimony
given last year by Mr.. Bennett
before the LANCER Subcommittee
on Prisons on prisoner sexual
perversion. The Virginian had
told the House that the prison
director "winkS" at an increase in
sex perversion among prisoners.
But Senator LANCER quoted
more fully from the Bennett tes-
timony to show that the official
had declared: "Our whole policy