Life, 1914-03-12 · page 13 of 44
Life — March 12, 1914 — page 13: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page presents a letter satirizing American prison reform efforts. A Japanese schoolboy writes to *Life*'s editor, observing that efforts to make prisons more humane—through comfortable furnishings, entertainment, and pleasant conditions—may actually encourage criminal behavior rather than reform it. The accompanying cartoon illustrates the irony: it shows what appears to be a jailer or guard maintaining a prison cell with surprising domesticity, depicted with humorous exaggeration. The caption "Keep house with Ladies Homely Journal expression" suggests the prison is being run like a comfortable home rather than a place of punishment. The satire targets American progressivism of the era—specifically the belief that improved prison conditions would rehabilitate inmates—by having an outsider (the Japanese boy) point out the logical absurdity from a critical distance.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
‘LIPS: 449 Letters of a Japanese School-boy Will Prettier Prison-Life Make Criminals More ‘Refined 2 To Editor “Life N be in jail also, if he was in Russio, ws”, who would EAR SIR:— So much columns of print are now being printed on subject of trying to reform our Prison Superintendants so they can lead honest lives in despite their dark pasts, that 1 am taking the liberality to send you one letter from my % cousin, Benj. Franklin Nicka- mura, now enjoying monotonous s tence in Penitential Jail for assisting a lady in murdering. I am glad his relationship is so far removed from me, because I am too busy attending my own sins to help his unrespecta- bility. Howeverly, he wish me enwrap is letter in my weekly envelope to you, so I do so hoping you catch no disease : “Dear Sir:— (please excuse his Jap- anese impoliteness of spelling) “Considerable Prison Reform is con- tinuously parolling this jail attemping to find out how we can be punished more pleasantly. Hon. Boss Jailer, de- ceptive personality, make American thumb-nose to them secretly while delivering smile-eye to them when looking at their faces. Yet I feel en- tirely lovable to those Prison Reform who stroggle so nobily to add joyful gladness to my lock-away. Last week gentle clergyman come take la on my bedding so he could detest its hard qualities. He arose soonly and say he never felt such sufferin; in Hotel St. Regicide. “* No 999,’ he tell my name, ‘ you are treated similar to dog.’ “*Many Pekinese spaniels are more petted,’ I snuggest downheartly. “*T have come for to write your cell in horror-page of newspaper, he com- mute nervely. ‘It are too debased a coop for rabbits.’ Next time tell me when you are coming and I shall make it too dis- gusting for rats,’ I report obligely. “*Excuse me taking your time,’ he narrate chivalrously. “*Tf you could remove five or six years of it I could forgive you in ad- down even vancement,’ is refund I make to his kindness. “Hon. Boss Jailer, deceptive per- sonality, realize how that Prison Re- form are there looking for scandalous condition, so he keep house with Ladies Homely Journal expression when he know they are coming. Pork Packers showing Meat Detectives around Chicago could not be more en- tertaining than him, For considerable days before they arrive that complete jail are being swept with suds and gilded paint painted on all bars, so prisoners shall look like parrots who was there for humorous pleasure. New Turk rugs is spread on each floor and phonograph in hallway permitted to play ‘Holy City’ for home-like effect. When Prison Reform encroach inside they dishcover each prisoner setting in ded cage reading ‘Garden Without Walls’, thusly giving effect of being free before being turned loose. A bank-breaker’s holiday are enjoyed during date when that Reform are vis- iting there. Base-ball game enjoyed in afternoon, Evening consumed _ by sacred cabaret concert from safe- cracking quartette. All day Hon. Re- form are permitted to eat fruit salad and scrambled turkey amidst delightful prisoners; also each one of those in- vestigating gentlemen is permitted to lay down in folding beds and set in electric chairs for see how comfortable they feel. “So all us jail-sparrows has been considerable loving to that Prison Re- form until one unexpected date of re- cently when they acted deliciously sly. “One morning a. m. they arrive up with unexpected quickness without telegraphing ahead. Also they was dishguised to look like grafters, so Hon, Superintendant thought they was merely friends and didn’t do nothing to conceal nothing. Straight-jacketting was being enjoyed in dark cell, wardens selling out contracts to shirt manu- turers, uncleanliness was seen resid- ing in hallways, guards was gambling amidst trusties was acting untrustworthy and everything look quite natural. In prison office Hon, 2nd Asst Jailer were buying opium-smokes, T 1 “Keep bouse with Ladies Homely Journal expression”