Skip to main content
The largest online newspaper archive

Altoona Mirror from Altoona, Pennsylvania • Page 5

Publication:
Altoona Mirrori
Location:
Altoona, Pennsylvania
Issue Date:
Page:
5
Extracted Article Text (OCR)

,5 1 I WEFARE HEAD IS PAKERJN CITY ftofi. I. Addresses Oouaty sioners' Convention "Mental Hon. E. Grace McCauley, Secretary of welfare In the cabinet of dbverabr John S.

Fisher at ttarrlsburg, was a speaker before the opening session of the Pennsylvania, State Association of County Commissioners' convention at the hotel this morning. Mrs. McCauley based her discourse on "Mental Defectives," and said in part: "It Is most encouraging to note that a large portion of the program for this meeting Is devoted to the consideration of the problems relating to prisons. "While the activities of your department of welfare are very numerous, and while the representatives of this department have contact with each and every elected or appointed official in the commonwealth, the problems Incident to prisons and crime are ever vital and pressing. "Especially as the county commissioners are concerned, the department's duty to survey the plans of all new buildings for prisons, or for major alterations to prisons, Is one of the major responsibilities of the department.

This particular responsibility is of especial interest to the Commissioners as the fiscal officers of the county, "Prison buildings cost money to build and. to operate. Properly to review any plan of a p'rlson program involves considerations of financial costs, as well as the multitudes of oUxer costs involved which, too, affect the welfare of the state. "Legislative enactment particularizes the need for a prison to give adequate condition for the proper maintenance, custody, welfare, and training of Its Inmates. These conditions can be viewed only In the light of the welfare of the commonwealth.

"It is frequently stated by some that our prisons are hotels, recreation centers, and other terms are used to decry the attempts made to Improve living conditions in the prisons. Some persons still maintain that the protection of the commonwealth can be secured only by housing prisoners In vermin Infested, malodorous prisons where the inmates may be subjected to an existence of dread and fear. The day has passed when society can neglect to refuse the Incontrovertible evidence of history and science, that the commonwealth can not protect Itself by having prisons and prison management which seeks to control the criminal by breaking his spirit, by treating him or her as a loathed beast. 'The commonwealth can not afford such treatment. It Is too costly.

"It Is significant to note, the rise In prison population at the time when tho number of unemployed is great. Much crime Is related to the lack of the ability of citizens to earn an honest living. "Whether tho citizen's inability to earn an honest living Is caused by an inheritance which makes It impossible for him to compete socially In work, -ANYTHING IS UKELY- TO TUfcW UP AMD A PUG NOSE IS 00UMD or Whether, bepaUse the cltizerts have not been trained to do honest work, or whether (on the other hand they have definitely been trained to make their living by dishonest means does not alter the lack of honest employment Is directly related to crime and the penal problem. "If, in planning the counties' program of work, provision can be found 16 provide And maintain A constant level of employment, the commissioners do much to keep otherwtte honest man 6f w6man out of jail. "Perhaps, by careful study of assets In the nature of natural resources, and other factors valuable commercially, business Interests can Be Secured to the county Which Will make possible Increase in the number of jobs to keep men and women employed.

"To be sure, the commissioners are doubtless so engaged, this point is here made to relate the desirability of such procedures to the relief of the prison problem. As you increase the' opportunities for honest work, you tend to diminish the probability of crime. "Insofar as you are unable to provide Work for persons in your county, finances suffer both from the nonexistent returns from taxes on prospering communities, but your county suffers through the money you spend to maintain life and health in those who have become 'dependent, "There can be no question In your that your department of welfare Is not interested In the relief of the needy. The department's activity In this regard is well known to all of you. The department feels Its efforts to assist-you in the proper receipt and of adequate funds for this purpose are not without your approval.

"Prisoners' families come to you for relief, and are a drain on your local purse. You would welcome the day When such relief is not necessary or, even, is lessened in degree. You would welcome the day when the expenses of maintaining prisons are no longer a drain on your funds. You would rejoice to know that the needs now existing for the housing of persons In prison is not necessary, and when tho use of public funds for the care of "IF IT IS DONE WITH HEAT" You Can Do It Better With Gas From the day you have a Roberts Gas Heating Unit installed in your present steam, hot water, vapor or Warm air heating troubles, work and worry are banished. Ten Reasons for Installing This Gas Heating Unit: Saving -1 Cost Heat Installation Thermostatlc Control AUTOMATIC UNIFORM HEAT Without Attention ROBERTS CONTROLLED GAS HEATING UNIT TRADE MARK BERLIN PUBNITUBE CO, 900 EIGHTH AVE.

FA ROMlCH.MGR 4. i Dresses Now in the Downstairs Store Formerly $16.75, $19.95, $29.95, $35.00 and $39.95 You May Buy One Dress for $8.00 Savings are figured from $9.25 to $32.45 on their original prices of these dresses not over a month old in keeping with Brett's policy of quick turnover and new yon say you'd better come early THURSDAY? If women knew what these es ses are like, we would sell out the entire lot before the first hour tomorrow morning. Sizes. for misses, women and large women, AH Other Downstairs Summer Dresses Now $2 tO $5 Majority are suitable for wear this fall! Open All Day Thursday! Sale In Downstairs Store II3AVE the dependent Would not bfi necessary. That'day Is not here, it la not on this aide of the horizon, the facts are that these Meeds exist.

"On the same principle on which the allocation of funds are made for the purposes of mothers' assistance, the penal problems heed to be considered. This principle Is tq 'assist in propor- tldn to the "The prison officials need tools with which to work, they need a prison which will provide proper custody, welfare, and training of in- rnktes to assist them to fulfill their duty to the public. These tools include adequate buildings, adequate equipment, and an adequate staff, So long as unsuitable prisons exist, the public Is not securing; the returns it should receive from Its Investments in prisons. "Your department Is aware of the financial difficulties Incident to the proper protection to the commonwealth through the control of prisoners, it Is especially difficult for counties whose prison population Is small to build and maintain a prison that is not a continuing liability. It Is exceedingly difficult the small prison to do any niore than hold a prisoner for his sentence, to feed him, and In many instances, to permit the county to pay for his family's support.

"This Is a wasteful process and one which is destined, to pass. It Is destined to pass because it is too costly from whatever view you take of it. The public loses the value of the labor and Increases the likelihood that the prisoner is less fitted than before his confinement to do honest work. Such a condition definitely robs the prisonef Of his ability to live honestly and tends to make It impossible for him ever to be anything else but a criminal. "You are aware of the results secur- "ed by the institutions w.heire are kept at work.

Prison riots are not known where each inmate Is regularly continuously employed at useful labor. Over-crowding of prisons is not as severe a public danger as Is the Idleness in prisons. "The reduction In direct costs to the county Is one Item. The preservation and the improving of the social values In the prisoners is a second item, the reduction 'of the hazards Incident to prison control Is a third Item which would be able to put on the credit side of the ledger. "So with proper building there Is, too, much difficulty for the small prison to take advantage of these economical practices.

Where prison turnover Is great, and where terms are short, and where a large non-sentenced group is a portion of the p'rlson population, it Is very difficult for actual economy to find expressing on the ledgers. You have, no doubt, considered these matters many times. It Is very probable that you all agree with the county commissioners who compose the Board of the Eighth industrial farm and workhouse district, Who are unaminous in their approval of the principles that a prison should: opportunities for the prisoner to support himself while Incarcerated. support penal In. stltution with the products of his labor, contribute to ths support of his family or other dependants WhHe he Is Incarcerated, the use of his personal labor; Through the sale of the products of his labor and that, from a practical standpoint, the larger prisons, with continuing policies and Stable population, offer greater opportunities fof the development of programs of work than the smaller prisons do.

"Your department of welfara has called upon each county except those of the first and second class to appoint a delegate for the purposes Of studying the provisions of the Industrial farm and workhouse act which authorizes the construction of a regional prison. "Your department urges you to appoint this delegate without delay. If this act does not provide the proper machinery through which to relieve your problems It Is our earnest desire to have its deficiencies remedied and a practicable act presented to the approaching legislature. "the. county IMt to detaift who victM of effete, fo do common-wealth 6y etttcUng ti program of restoration, tody and control of iiMtitatloiM wftfeh mm work for prisoners possible Cft unqualified necessity.

"There a great virtue In pose of the law which sentenew son to prison hard labor. can be of valued to make this law effective. "In most counties there Is no pttfptt protection given juveniles detained tat trial, or detained After trial. It fit sound economy to protect' dren from sordid fWWI the effects of being held In depressing "The penal situation would be ly relieved were there to be in each county detention homes boys and for girls where ptopet would exist for them afld where their education Would 6S proved while detained." EASY TO LOOK to look your reaction to charm and beauty. Easy to to the lure of Camels.

Good because of the natural mildness and fragrance of mellow tobaccos, with all the delicacy and aroma preserved by scientific skill in preparation and because there's no over-processing or flatness of taste. they are so mild and smooth that you can smoke them all the day through with never a suggestion of thrpat discomfort. Notice that it's Camels crowd and Camels are so good to smoke. CAMELS "EASY TO LISTEN PLEASURE HOUR Wednesday evenings on N. B.

C. network, WJZ and associated stations. Consult your local radio time table. R. J.

Tubtccv WiJuua-StlMi, N. CET'S 1720-22 Union Avenue Special This Week, While They Last Immons Bed, Spring, Mattress 17 Complete CET'S 1720-22 Union Avion.

Get access to Newspapers.com

  • The largest online newspaper archive
  • 300+ newspapers from the 1700's - 2000's
  • Millions of additional pages added every month

About Altoona Mirror Archive

Pages Available:
53,426
Years Available:
1898-2009