The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-07-22
ANTI-.L0AFER
ACT MAY HIT
LEAGUE N EN-
Question Raised If State Work
: or Fight Order Affects
Organizers
GOVERNOR TO PROCLAIM
Frazier Has Not Yet Come For
ward with Proclamation
Council Asked

The anti-loafer act by which thu
council OF defense, in conjunction witt
Provost Marshal General Crowder's
work or fight" order, may have leg.
islated N0npartisan league organizers
out OF job, was officially given tc
the press today, as follows:
IAN act. to prevent l0af1ng. idline
and vagrancy and to require that all
Able-bodied male persons between the
ages of eightee nand fifty years be
regularly and habitually employed or
engaged in lawful and useful oc-
cupati0n until the termination of the
present war:
Sec. L. Every able-bodied male
resident of or within this state be-
tween the ages of Is and SO years,
inclusive, shall habitually and regu:
larly engaged in some lawful. use
full and recognized business, profess
sion, occupation or employment. And
hours shall be regarded as the least
time which may be recognized as a
weeks labor. This is not to be I'M
derstood as regulating the hours OF
labor In any lawful, useful or recog-
nized trade, profession or occupation,
but for the purpose of requiring idle
men to work.
"Sec. 2. The provisions of this act
shall not apply to persons temporal
lily unemployed by reason of differ
ences with their employers or to bona
fide students during any school term
or semester, or to persons preparing
or. fitting themselves for any trade,
agricultural or Industrial pursuit, nor
in any manner to be construed to in
terfere with the selective service laws
of the United tSates government or
its laws or regulations.
Sec. 3. Every person as defined in
Sec. hereof who shall refuse to be
employed as hereinbefore described
shall be deemed to be al idler, loafer,
or vagrant. The possession by any
person OF sufficient money, property
or income to support himself and
those regularly dependent upon him
shall, not excuse being so unemployed
as herein prescribed" -.
y Sec 4, regarded as saving clause
for certain classes who might other
wise be hard hit. reads: mo one
shall be deemed an idler, loafer, or
vagrant, who has registered for en-
plOyment with or in any of the EN-
ployment Offices established by the
federal government in this state or
with the state commissioner OF agri-
culture and labor, or any OF his agell:
cies. or with this council of defense
or, any OF its agencies, and who can.
not secure or Be given work at the
going and customary wages for any
employment so offered him by any
of such agencies" .+@
i 1t is made the duty Of the sheriffs
and all state. county and municipal
officers charged with enforcing the
law and of the county councils of de.
Tense to diligently ascertain concern,
ing any idlers. loafers or Migrants
and to diligently assist in securing the
registration of all persons between
the ages hereinbefore mentioned with
the employment agencies hereinbe
fore designated and to diligently re-
port in writing to the states attorne,
OF their respective counties and tt
the council OF defense the names o.
idlers, loafers and Migrants within
their respective jurisdiction"
And the last clause urges that the
governor do diligently issue proc
lamation. concerning the regulations
hereinbefore prescribed. and that thu
newspapers of this state are herewith
requested to publish this regulation
in full" and the governor has no
diligently done so.
This is the first formal act of the
council of defense. All other law!