“U.S.A. Prison Reformers and Kingston Penitentiary,” Kingston Whig-Standard. October 25, 1932. Page 4. ---- It is quite probable that the representatives of the Eastern Association for Prison Reform, with headquarters at Boston, mean well when they suggest to Kingston to investigate the prison riots here. but knowing the Hon. Mr Guthrie as we do, we are quite sure that he will decide against it.
The Kingston Penitentiary has just gone through a rather strenuous time. The situation has been handled, however, by officials of the Canadian Department of Justice and it will be to the lasting credit of the Hon Mr Guthrie Minister of Justice and General Ormond, Superintendent of Penitentiaries, that the prisoners have been brought under control without the loss of a single life or serious injury to anyone.
Under normal conditions, we are quite sure there could be no objection to a visit from any United States prison reform association, but at the present time such a visit is neither wise nor practical. General Ormond and Col. Megloughlin, the Acting Warden, are face to face with a big task. They should be allowed to complete it with as few interruptions as possible. It is certain they have no time to assist the United States prison reform organization in testing some of Its theories at the Kingston Penitentiary. We are quite sure too that they desire no unsolicited assistance from any United States organization.
[AL: Almost alone among the major Canadian papers, the Kingston Whig-Standard defends the Minister of Justice’s refusal to open a public inquiry into the riots at Kingston Penitentiary.]
