The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-06-27
Council Defense
Aims at Loafers

The following ordinance has been
drafted by the council of defense and
sent out TO city councils and county
boards of supervisors throughout the
state. It is urged that the meaure be
adopted as war measure:
War Losfers.
BE 1T ordained by the board of super
visors Of the county OF Il
Virginia.
That to preserve peace and good or !
der and to prevent vice and immortality |
and to promote thrift and industry dur
ing the present emergency, and to aid
the whole people while engaged in
many occupations to win the war with
Germany and her allies, this ordinance
is enacted.
That for the purpose of this ordi-
nance the words war Loafer" shall
he construed to mean a person, who, |
while the United States of America Is
at war with any other nation, govern
ment or power. is not engaged con-
tinuously in a lawful employment, or
who spends the daylight hours loiter-
ing on roads or public places and who
apparently does not perform manual
labor sufficient that the remuneration
thereof would equal the probable cost
Of the food consumed by such person.
and the clothing worn by such person,
Whoever. being more than eighteen
and not more than sixty years of age
and physically ft to perform manual
labor, Is found within the limits of the
county OF from and after
the passage of this ordinance and while
the United States of America lis en-
gagged in war with any nation or power.
Is not continuously employed In law
full occupation. business. trade. calling
or profession, and who in the six
months last past has made no reason
able effort to procure employment, or
who has refused to labor for COM
pensation where employment Is offered.
or who spends major portion Of the
daylight hours on the roads or the pub
lie places of the county idling, loiter-
ing. and gossiping, and who, In the
last preceding six months has not per-
formed 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 be-
ing War Loafer," and upon convic-
ton thereof shall be fined In any sum
not to exceed sloo. to which may he
added Imprisonment In the county jail
Provided, that the following persons
or classes of persons shall be excluded
from the provisions OF this act:
ta1 Students or persons fitting them
selves in an educational way to EN-
gage in trade or industrial pursuits.
Oh Persons temporarily unemployed
by reason Of differences with their en-
ployers
fc) Persons engaged IN any season
able husin ess, trade or occupation.
Provided. that after the conviction
Of a person OF being a War Loafer,
the court may suspend sentence, II upon
tho repre- sentation of two reputable
citizens that they win furnish the de-
PENDANT with employment 81 reason
Bile remuneration. and upon the de-
fendant's representation that he VIII
report weekly TO tho court as 70 his
employment; which period Of employ
ment and reporting shall he equal 70
the term Of Imprisonment rendered by
the court Ana II said defendant shall
fail TO continue in said employment or
fail to make report to the court, he
shall he taken in custody and the origt-
nal sentence enforced.