Show No White Elephants If a man went out and spent a lot lotof lotof lotof of money for a fancy new automobile and then didn't provide himself with enough money to operate it you'd say he was pretty stupid And it looks as asif asif asif if maybe the state of Utah is pretty stupid in having bought for itself a afancy afancy afancy fancy new prison but not providing enough money to operate it Warden Varden A. A 0 O. Severson made an urgent plea for more money to Governor J. J Bracken Lee the other day He said saida a serious shortage of prison officers has made it impossible to carry carryon on a satisfactory satisfactory satisfactory satis satis- factory work yard privilege and recreational recreational recreational program We haven't the officers to act in supervisory capacity he said It is going to do the state of Utah little good to have the fine new penitentiary penitentiary penitentiary at the Point of the Mountain if we weare weare weare are unable to make use of its modern facilities to carry carryon on a sound program of rehabilitation If we just wanted a prison to keep men behind bars we tie ve could have managed managed managed man man- aged to get along at Sugar House But the real purpose of penal administration must be rehabilitation Those men who have proved themselves incapable of reform might as well be kept in custody permanently But most prisoners can be rehabilitated and it is important that they be given opportunity and encouragement encouragement encouragement for sound readjustment of their lives while in prison That means above all wholesome activity in the way of work and recreation A few thousand dollars more spent on prison operation might not only help to save a number of inmates from a life of crime and social ostracism it might save society many thousands of dollars in the cost of crime suppression and all the loss and waste and evil that accompany accompany accompany pany criminal activity p We Ve have a fine modern Utah prison We Ve are arc proud of it But its it's for use not show No matter how fancy we want no cylinder 16 white elephants in Utah |