* * * * * _Good Doctrine._--The New Bedford Standard says that “no amount of kindly sympathy for prisoners can obliterate the truth that in too many instances they are in prison because they would not heed their own moral responsibilities. They are to be pitied, certainly, and helped, of course. But all the pity and all the help will be ineffectual unless it leads up to a practical recognition of the truth that to be truly free, they must strike the blow themselves.” * * * * * _The Women of the Civic Federation and Prison Reform._--The American Clubwoman comments upon the growing activity of club women in prison reform, a subject in which women always have been especially interested. It says: “Prison reform is occupying the attention of several large organizations of women. The women’s department of the National Civic Federation, Miss Maude Wetmore, national chairman, will make this one of its most important topics during the coming year. This powerful organization will not only act as a clearing house to classify and prevent duplication of effort, but it will also embrace county almshouses and city jails in the scope of its constructive work. “At its last biennial meeting the General Federation of Women’s Clubs adopted resolutions protesting against the contract and convict lease system of exploiting the labor of prisoners for the benefit of private contractors. It endorsed the plan of paying the prisoner wages that he might contribute to the support of his family and have a little fund to start life anew when restored to freedom. “The women of the National Civic Federation also take this advanced stand, but the first prison work that women find at hand is the investigation of actual conditions in penal institutions. If political graft is eliminated from prison management, many reforms may at once be carried into effect. “Good sanitary conditions should be imperative in every public institution. Already it is found that Federal prisons, being practically free from graft, are the best from a hygienic point of view. County almshouses and jails nearly always reveal ghastly abuses. The reason is not far to seek. The latter class of institutions are at the mercy of the lowest type of political manipulators. “The moment women begin to investigate, reforms are forthcoming. Already the women of the Civic Federation have immensely improved the deplorable state of the jail of the District of Columbia. An awful condition of affairs had existed there for years, right under the eye of the legislators of the Nation. They simply did not take the trouble to acquaint themselves with the facts. That, as usual, was left for the women to do. “In a score of States club women have succeeded in improving conditions of prisons and in some cases they have secured the appointment of women on the visiting boards of prisons and reformatories.