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JANUARY 15, 1923.

HE United States Disciplinary Barracks stands in the very heart of the Fort Leavenworth Military Reservation, next door to the General Service Schools, where intricate principles of tactics and strategy are taught. These two institutions, side by side, are both universities, the one for training incompetent and delinquent soldiers, the other for perfecting the military education of selected officers.

Functioning primarily as a military prison, where soldiers sentenced to dishonorable discharge are punished by confinement at hard labor, the Disciplinary Barracks has adopted modern and improved methods of prison administration; and so has acquired a second vital function-the reformation of prisoners, by scientific study of each individual, and by applying such moral, vocational and educational training as is suited to each case. There is still a third function-that of utilizing prison labor for the benefit of the Government, which deserves consideration, but is relatively less important.

In 1875 a military prison, the first penal institution under control of the Federal Government, was established at Fort Leavenworth. At first, only 225 men were confined, all of them convicted of serious military offenses, but none of them felons, as offenders of this class were sent to state penitentiaries. Deplorable conditions in crowded post guard-houses were thus alleviated, and appropriate work for the prisoners was provided by opening a quarry, lime kiln, garden, shoc factory, and broom shop, besides labor involved in the erection of a prison wall and permanent buildings. Within twenty years the prison population increased to about 600 men, and building had kept pace so that they were comfortably housed, profitably employed and adequately safe-guarded. Then, by a curious reversal in official

sentiment, the prison was abandoned by the War Department; the buildings were transferred to the Department of Justice for use as a Federal penitentiary, and felons only were confined therein, the purely military offenders being held at certain posts designated as "prison posts." The new arrangement proved unsatisfactory to both the War Department and the Department of Justice; and in 1906, a new Federal penitentiary having been constructed on the south end of the Fort Leavenworth Military Reservation, the old prison was transferred back to the War Department, and reopened as a military prison, with gratifying results. A new cell house was constructed, on the radial plan, fireproof throughout, and accommodating about 2,000 prisoners without crowding; the walled inclosure was enlarged; a great variety of occupations for prisoners was provided; chapel, school and library were opened and selected soldiers from the Army at large were detailed as prison guards and given extra pay.

CHANGED TO DISCIPLINARY BARRACKS.

By an Act of Congress, in 1915, it was provided that this military prison should hereafter be known as the United States Disciplinary Barracks; and that prisoners whose record and conduct SO warranted, should be placed under military training with a view to their earning an honorable restoration to duty instead of serving out their remaining sentences to confinement. Disciplinary companies were organized at once, and have since been continuously maintained, training prisoners for service with the colors. and enabling them to make good after facing disgrace and punishment for what is frequently but a thoughtless mistake of youth.

A prison population of approximately 1.000 inmates has recently been maintained, except during and immediately after the World War, when the

Army.

unprecedented expansion of our Army brought a great influx of offenders, and overtaxed the capacity of the barracks, alike as to housing, messing and occupational facilities. With nearly 4,000 inmates early in 1919, considerable difficulty was encountered in maintaining discipline and suppressing mutinous outbreaks-a situation rendered dangerous by the inferior guards who had been placed on duty, in order that the excellent personnel of the old guard companies might be available for service at the front. Gradually and without any serious disorder, perfect discipline was restored, through the energetic action of the Commandant and his officers, through constant improvement in the personnel of the guards, and by reason of the population dropping to a normal figure.

The punishments awarded by courts-martial embrace four distinct features, all explicitly stated in the order publishing the sentence:

(a) Dishonorable discharge. The prisoner's military service ends in disgrace, but he is not deprived of citizenship unless his offense was desertion in time of war.

(b) Forfeiture of pay and allowances. The prisoner loses whatever pay was due him as a soldier, and receives no pay while serving his sentence.

(c) Confinement. The prisoner is deprived of his liberty, though allowed to receive visitors once a week and to correspond freely with his family and friends.

(d) Hard labor. The prisoner works eight hours per day, at such task as may be assigned him.

No additional punishments are imposed, except infractions of the barracks regulations. On the contrary, every effort is made to ameliorate living conditions, by furnishing good food in pleasing variety, by keeping cells clean and sanitary, by encour

aging sports and recreation outside of working hours, by free circulation of books and periodicals, by moving picture shows and amateur theatricals, and through the agencies of schools, chapel, and vocational training. Prisoners receive prompt medical and dental treatment and are never required to perform tasks unequal to their physical strength or injurious to health.

If all prisoners co-operated with the authorities for their mutual benefit, many disciplinary restraints now enforced could be removed, but strict discipline and close observation are imperative, not only to train the prisoners to obedience, but also to protect the well-behaved prisoners from their more unsocial companions, who prey upon every weakness of their fellows, and make life hard for the prisoner who is striving to do right. The relation of individual prisoners, or groups of prisoners, to other individuals or groups involving petty struggles for prestige, conflicts of race or temperament, perverse intimacies, coercion of weak wills, etc., are perhaps fraught with more possibilities for good or evil, than can be overcome by satisfactory feelings toward the officers and guards at the barracks. The policy, therefore, is to encourage a wholesome social spirit inside the prison walls; but to watch vigilantly and punish promptly any prisoner who takes advantage of this limited freedom.

Mitigation of punishment is obtained through one of the following methods:

(a) Every prisoner, by good behavior, can earn some remission of his sentence. This "good conduct" allowance is two months during the first year of confinement and four months during each subsequent year. Thus, if sentenced for two years, a prisoner, by exemplary conduct can shorten his sentence to eighteen months.

(b) About six months after arrival at the barracks a prisoner's case is considered for clemency. If a careful study of all available facts indicates that his sentence was unduly severe, or that exceptional circumstances warrant clemency, a recommendation to that effect is made to the

Secretary of War, who has authority to remit all or part of the unexecuted portion of the sentence.

(c) When a prisoner has served half of his sentence he may apply for release to his home on parole, giving a written guarantee to behave himself, and securing a first friend and advisor to help him and to make monthly reports on his conduct until his final release is received. Such applications are approved only when a prisoner's past history and general make-up indicate a reasonable likelihood of his faithfully performing the obligations of home parole.

(d) Prisoners assigned to a disciplinary company, and who make satisfactory progress therein, may be restored to duty to complete their enlistments and obtain an honorable discharge.

Reformation is accomplished through inculcating good habits. Most essential of all, is the habit of hard work. Suitable work assignments are made preferably at tasks which furnish vocational training. In the barracks mess men learn to be cooks, bakers, butchers and waiters. In various offices they are employed as clerks, stenographers, draftsmen, janitors and messengers. The shops furnish training for carpenters, plumbers. steam-fitters, boilermakers, broom. makers, cobblers, tailors, tinners, electricians, dyers, dry-cleaners, laundrymen, locksmiths, machinists, printers and firemen.

On construction work men are employed as cement workers, brickmakers, masons, plasterers, painters. etc. An extensive farm colony operates a poultry farm, hog farm, dairy, greenhouse and ice plant. Musicians are given training in the band. In addition, there is work for barbers, brakemen, switchmen, teamsters, wagoners, horseshoers, etc.

Other good habits, acquired through compulsion, are neatness and cleanliness of person, early rising, respectful and orderly demeanor, attention and wholesome eating and exercise. Self reliance is developed by gradually placing trust in deserving prisoners. So called "honor men" work outside the walls without armed guards over them, supervised only by an overseer who directs them in their

work. From this class come the "barracks paroles," or "white star prisoners," who go anywhere on the reservation as their duties require, and are not even under observation of the guard. And the final trust is shown by "home parole," when all disciplinary restraints are removed save as the prisoner must remain in one locality, work steadily, avoid evil associates, and comply with the law. The larger aim is to have every prisoner go out a better man than when he came in; strengthened in character sufficiently to hold to his higher ideas. It would be Utopian to expect this result in all cases, but the training is given with a prospect of accomplishing this, and many do.

Illiterates the term applying to men who have not completed the equivalent of third grade schooling— are required to attend morning school until a rudimentary education has been received. Attendance at night school for more advanced work is optional. Besides the usual educational subjects, classes in stenography, telegraphy and auto-mechanics have aroused much interest. The teachers are volunteers selected from the prisoners, and only a few students are placed under a single teacher. One-sixth of the inmates voluntarily attend these classes.

Less than one-fourth of all military prisoners are fit to be soldiers. Mental deficiencies, delinquent tendencies, and physical defects disqualify the others. These chosen few, if they so desire, are placed in disciplinary companies to attend drills and military instruction every morning. and to perform labor only in the afternoons. The drills, parades, setting-up exercises with musical accompaniment, silent drills, etc., are designed to correct the prisoner's commonest fault-lack of true discipline. When restored to duty, 90 per cent of these prisoners make good, reports indicating that they frequently become non-commissioned officers.

To effectively control the life of each prisoner-so that he is at once punished for his offense, trained for a better future, and utilized as a labor unit in the interest of economical operation-requires careful planning, (Continued on page 16)

Sowing

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HERE are two groups who

work harder than should be necessary. One group is the field recruiting forces which are constantly hustling to fill their quotas of men and the other group are the commanders, who have a long job in training the sometimes mediocre material sent in by the recruiting parties.

The recruiting organization is doing all it can at present. How many commanders with the opportunity and equipment that exist in their posts believe that they can so interest the poential recruit population of the future, that it will insure easier work for the recruiters as well as better recruits for themselves?

At one (this) post a campaign of education or activity, call it what you will, has been in progress and continues.

Some of these activities were the holding of an interscholastic field day on the parade ground for a group of public schools. The starters, timers and judges were officers and non-commissioned officers of the garrison. For the obstacle races, machine guns and gun carts were used, to the great interest of the boys. Our interest in that is this way, several hundred boys know what a heavy Browning looks like.

A Boy Scout troop was given the use of a shack among the old cantonment buildings, and now have their interest, heart and soul in the activities of the post and in the Army. Some of them can do field stripping. Enlisted men are "permitted" to go with boy scout troops on their hikes. Old gold stripers on a detail of this sort, a real First Division man, will, in a couple of hours around a camp fire, create in these boys' minds just one desire, and that is to join the Army and get some of those thrills themselves.

A meeting was held in the post gymnasium for the parents of boys who had attended a Civilian Military Training Camp. The motif of the speakers remarks was to show this group of parents what the Army does with and for their sons after he en

More than 200 men living in the vicinity of Fort Hamilton have formed an organization to recruit a citizen regiment to be drilled under United States Army officers at that post. Col. E. H. Wagner, commanding the post, has outlined the plan for carrying on the training and its relation to the civil population in the community.

lists. The gymnasium was an eyeopener but the meeting was followed by a visit to one of the big brick barracks, where the dormitory, mess hall, kitchen and day room were a revelation to some of them. Most people seem to think the "barracks" mean only the wooden cantonment buildings.

This meeting was followed by the organization of a club of graduates of the Civilian Military Training Camp. Its object is to keep up the training camp spirit and experience and to get new candidates to join. The post commander has offered to give the new applicants advance instruction with a view to their more rapid advancement after arrival in

PRINTERS WANTED!

LINOTYPE OPERATOR

COMPOSITOR
PRESSMAN
RE-WRITE MAN

Any enlisted man who possesses any of the above quali fications and who desires transfer to RECRUITING PUBLICITY BUREAU, Governors Island, New York, should address a letter to the Chief, Recruiting Publicity Bureau, Governors Island, New York.

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camp. The idea of our present military policy of having a "civilian army" is being played up in every way, so that young men who may not care to do a trick in the Army, will at least join up with a National Guard outfit or go through a Civilian Military Training Camp and into the

reserve.

This camp maintains show squads and sections which are sent out to boys' schools, public and private, and during recess or on time given by the school they show the guns and explain functioning. The 37mm cannon is a great drawing card. All recruiting parties should have one.

There are several results that are already observed from these activities. One is that only about half the command shows up for Sunday dinner, the other half having been invited out to wonderful family dinners. The men seem to have found that their boy students have older sisters and they have made delightful acquaintAnother reward is the good feeling between the soldiers and the civilians of the neighborhood. We know and understand each other.

ances.

Now after this showing and mingling has been kept up for a few years, what will be the result? Hundreds of boys will have grown up, with a knowledge of arms, not alone of the rifle but the Browning, heavies and lights, the Stokes mortar and the onepounder. If a draft ever hit the country again, this even elementary knowledge would be of value. This general understanding of the intimate and material life of the soldier, even if it does not create a desire, will certainly remove all objection to enlisting. Failing to enlist young men, it is well to have had them go through a training camp and above all "little Johnnie" will no longer ask his mother that old question, "Mamma, do soldiers eat hay?"

N. Y. National Guard Convention The annual convention of the National Guard Association of New York will be held at Albany, January 26 and 27.