Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1918-06-28
LAZY MEN NOW.
WAR LOAFERS'
Those Between Is and 60 Must
Go to Work or Go to Jail, If
Laws of Council of Defense
Are Enacted in State.

Richmond, June 24.-Drastc in its
provisions, compelling every man tn
get to work ard to stick to it for the
duration of the war, an ordinance
h@, been prepa;ed for the state cotn-
Gil of defense to be sent to every city
and county council of defense and
then to be approved and sent to the
supervisors of the several counties
and the councils of the cities with
request for adoption. The new regu-
lation is tight enough to get every
man in the state, and the officers Of
the law will see that it is enforced of
or the officers will face custer pro-
ceedings.
The following is copy of the ordi-
nance:
"Section 1. That to preserve peace
and good order and to prevent vice
and immortality and to promote thrift
and industry during the present cmer-
gency, and to aid the whole people
while engaged in many occupations
to win the war with Germany and
her allies, this ordinance is enacted.
"Section 2. That for the purpose of
this ordinance the words "War loaf
er" shall be construed to mean per-
son, who while the United States of
America is at war with any other ma
tion, government or power, is not en-
gagged continuously in lawful en-
ployment, or who spends the daylight
hours lettering on roads of public
places and who apparently does not
perform manual labor sufficient that
the remuneration thereof woul equal
the probable cost of the food con-
sumed by such person, and the cloth
ing worn by such person.
Eighteen to Sixty.
"Section 8. Whoever being more
than eighteen and not more than sixty
years of age and physically fit to per-
form manual labor, is found within
the limits of from and after
the passage of this ordinance and
while the United States of America
is engaged in war with any nation or
power, is not continuously employed
in lawful occupation, business,
trade, calling or profession, and who
in the last six months has made no
reasonable effort to procure employ
ment, or who has refused to labor
for compensation where employment
is offered or who spends a major por-
tion of the daylight hours on the
roads or public places of the coun-
try, idling, lettering and gossiping,
and who, in the last preceding six
months has not performed manual
labor sufficient that the remuneration
thereof has equalled the probable cost
of the food consumed by said person,
and the clothing worn by him shall
be deemed guilty of being a war
loafer, and upon conviction thereof
shall be fined in any sum not to eX-
ceed one hundred dollars, to which
may be added Imprisonment in the
county Jail for term not exceeding
six months.
provided, that the following per-
cngagesont aoetaoi etaoi etaoietaoin
sons or classes Of persons shall be ex-
cluded from the provisions of this
act: (a) Students OF persons fitting
themselves in an educational way to
engage in trade or industrial pursuits;
OBJ persons temporarily unemployed
by reasons of differences with their
employers; (c) persons engaged in
any reasonable business, trade or oc-
cupation.
May Suspend Sentence.
"Section A. Provided, that after the
conviction of person of being war
loafer,' the court may suspend sem
tence, if, upon the representation Of
two reputable citizens that they will
furnish the defendant with employ
ment at reasonable remuneration,
and upon the defendants representa-
tion that he will report weekly to the
court as to his employment; which
period of employment and reporting
shall be equal to the term of impris-
onment rendered by the court. And if
said defendant shall fail to continue
in said employment or fail to make
report to the court, he shall be taken
in custody and the original sentence
enforced.
"Section 5. Evidence that the de-
fendant appears to be within the age
limits as fixed in this ordinance, that
he is seen frequently on the roads OF
public places of the community not
engaged in any occupation, trade or
profession and that he is seemingly
healthy and fit for labor, shall be
deemed prima facie evidence that the
defendant is war loafer' within the
meaning of the ordinance"