Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-01-26
COMPULSORY WORK LAW
MAY PROVE HELPFUL
80
6e@s Fsefer West Virginia Statute
6 nscto Mspp Bill. Based ON Mary
!. iiiSs land Measure.
COUNTRY NEEDS MAN POWER

SOuNTht NEEDS MAN POWEt
IN Many Parts OF State Crops Wen,
!. unhATvested Last Fall, While
!. Husky Men Roamed Woods In
Search OF Game.
.r~-.-
sMaay Of tho best minds OF the coun-
Try are seeking o solution Of the prob
1aTaas created by tho labor shortage on
Me Apatton's farms. j. is recognized
that this obstacle TO production must
pc met and overcome in order tina,
America and its allies may be fed and
kh4s;Yar for humanity won.
.siIp Virginia reports from all parts OF
tho State indicate an acute situation.
10 many sections Of the State more
tnSu 20 per coat OF tho corn is still In
TIE fields in tho shock. while thousands
et bushels OF potatoes wero not dug
last tall because there Wac no labor TO
40 tho work before the coming OF win
Ter made il Impossible. while. with
Tho exception OF the wastase in the
corn, that crop will be eventually all
housed. tho potatoes ungathered repre-
Bent dead loss.
= Indicating tho necessity of some such
compulsory work law as that recently
Introduced by Senator Mapp, and which
bias been recomrnitted for amendment
70 the General Laws Committee Of the
Eenate. while farmers last fall were
struggling 10 get their corn harvested.
theiY potatoes out of the ground and
theiy small grains seeded. hundreds OF
able-bodied men--~hite and coiored-
rosmcd the woods. According 10 re-
Council OF Safety. In some parts OF the
State there would have heen compare
lively ltttls embarrassment in gather
ing tho crops had II been possible to
mako use OF tho man power In such
6istrietn,
swAle the compulsory work Law IS
pot by any means regarded as solu-
Xinn Of the situation either by State or
Federal officials having 10 do with the
agricultural interests OF the State. II
u felt that unless too seriously weak
pped By amendment, It will TO some
Extent alleviate labor conditions
edAPP COMPULSORY WORK RILL
q BASED ON MARYLAND LAW
!. Tia Mapp bill is based on the Mary
land law enacted by the 1917 session
" theiMarylend Legislature and made
effective by the proclamation OF the
4Jovernoy an August ., 1917. II is not
feSRrded as quite MS practical a meas
Ore as the west Virginia Law, which
vaH Endorsed by the Agricultural Coun-
Sil Of Safety Of Virginia.
In brief, the Mapp bill. as originally
introduced. provides that, whenever he
Gauge Of tho existence of n state OF war
thaAGovorner determines thu, it Is nee
essSIy. for the protection and welfare
hf &he'peopie OF the state. that all able
Pooled male persons between tho ages
Sof eighteen and fifty years be employed
IN occupations carried on by tho State,
or political subdivisions thereof or any.
of their agencies, or by private per-
CONS, fr1ns or corporations, whether
agricultural, industrial or otherwise.
anQ he fnds that such work cannot be
married on without resort 10 this act,
the Governor shall he authorized by
this act ny proclamation to require
every shie-hodicd person between the
ages named, not then or thereafter
yaSulsriy o. continuously employed or
engaged In any lawful and useful bust
mesa. occupation, trade or profcsSIon Of
ANY kind. 10 register forthwith his
HRme, address. ago and any other in
formation which the Governor shall re-
nui-e with the clerk Of tn. Circuit
Court of the county or city in which
Eurh person may be.
= The bill then authorizes the Governor
TO sssiGn or cause 10 be assigned such
persons TO such occupations as afore-
said for period which shall not IN
any case exceed six continuous months
~ any ono time.
Z. The Governor. in assigning such
are tion the ago, physical condition and
any other appropriate circumstance Of
the person 20 assigned. ard any per-
SON refusing 20 do or 10 continue to
DO the work assigned him, and who In
She meanwhile. has failed 10 become
Iegular!y or continuously employed IN
sftae eus!ress. occupation. trade or pro-
Mkeion. shall he lined not more than
ssno- or be inlpr,so"ra not. more than
~ months o. eeth,'Hr the discretion
GS the court
oWXERsHIP OF PROPERTY.
=, OR INCOME Is No DEFENSE
- Ownership II property or income does
.not orerste 70 relieve any person from
che operation .! THIS act. Students
An5 peTeons hts!ns Themselves TO en-
Ease IN trade o. industrial pursuits
are. howfNer. exempted from the pro-
Tisioas OF the measure. 81 thoso who
Aaror the Wet Virginia ect over the
Marp bill i, Is pointed on, tina. this
- looPhoIe which Nigh, he used by
q person taking, as an illustration. 4
correspondence school course in car
pentry 10 cvade the law.
y Failure 10 register under the ac; 70
punishable by !inc not 10 cxcce. $50.
All persons required to work under is
provisions shat; receive compensation
not less than the waGe or salary paid
10 otaers engaged n the same char
1-~ieE " "ofh. s>no lnGy not DC worked
songar hours than those prevailing gen
nra!iyetn such occupation. Private en-
p!oyers are required to execute sa,is-
factory bond as guarantee of such
compensation, such bond being c1ecut-
ed TO the State.
!. The a.. does not apply 10 persons
temporarily UNEMPLOYED by reason Of
differences with their employers. nor
goes u aprl" 20 any person engaged
- employed in any seasona, business,
made or occupation IN any city.
= Tho, west Virginia law applies % all
&bie-bod!ed persons between sixteen
and sixty. except bona hoe students in
school term. u requires not less than
Shirty-s.x hours WORK each week q. all
Such persons. those failing - work IN
accordance with such requirement being
declayed Migrants. and are subject 20
500 tine each vice.. Of failure TO do
the required work constituting seq
6rats offense. Such persons are sent 20
xbe rtreets or roads. and ons-half az
3hc fair value OF their work IL paid
10 those dependent upon them In
kHent no one is legally dependent upon
xAem. then they receive no co.npeu-
SStion,
stJnabii,ty to obtain work my no, be
Excepted as defense 10 prosecution