New-York tribune., 1918-03-03
No Room for Loafers
In South Carolina
Men From 16 TO so Must
Work Unless They Prefer
to Glass as Warrants

to Glass as Migrants
South Carolina, like Maryland, won't
permit any "gentlemen of loisure' in
her jurisdiction for the period Of the
war. Men between sixteen and sixty
must work unless they prefer the al
formative Of fine and Imprisonment.
The law. which IS equitc certain to
be enacted during tho present session
of the Legislature, follows:
Section. |. II IS hereby declared to
be the duty Of every able-bodied male
resident Of this state, between the ages
OF sixteen and sixty years, to habitu-
ally and regularly engage in some law
ful. useful and recognized business,
profession, occupation or employment.
whereby ne may produce or earn suf-
tlclcnt to support himself and those
legally dependent upon him
Sec. ,. From the time this act be-
comes effective. and thence forward un-
Ill six months after the termination Of
the present war between the United
States and the imperial German gov
ernment, any able-bodicd male resident
o. this state between the ages of six
teen and sixty, except bona fde stu
dents during school term, VINO shall
tail or refuse to regularly and steadily
engage for at least thirty-six hours
per week IN some lawful and recog-
nlzcd business, profession, occupation
or employment whereby he may con-
tribute 10 the support of himself and
those legally dependent upon him shall
be held to be a vagr8nt within the
meaning and effect of this act and shall
be guilty Of d misdemeanor, and upon
conviction thereof shall be fined not
n
sentenced to work not exceeding thirtv
days upon the public roads or streets
or upon some other public work being
done by and in the county in which
such person shall be convicted or by
any municipality therein. One-half of
the talr value Of any such labor so per
formed under such sentence shall be
paid by the county or municipality re-
celvlng the same toward the support
of any persons legally dependent upon
such vagrant, but if there Shall be no
such legal dependents, then no payment
shall be made on account Of any labor
performed under such judgment. ANY
Labor so required by a Judgment of
convlcticn hereunder shall be rendered
IN all respects as is now provided by
law IN the case of other prisoners
under conviction. Prosecutions for
vagrancy hereunder shall be instituted
and conducted US other criminal. prose
cutlons, and IN 30 case shall the pos
session by the accused of money, prop
erty or income sufficient TO support
himself and those legally dependent
upon him be a defence to any prose
cution under this act In no case shall
the claim by the accused of inability
to obtain work or employment be "a
defence to prosecution hereunder,
unless 1t shall be proved that the ac
cuscd promptly notified the proper rep
resentative of the State Council of De-
fence Of his inability to obtain employ
mcnt, and requested that work or en-
ployment be found for him, and that
such employment was not furnished
him.
"Sec. 3. All state and municipal
courts are hereby given jurisdiction to /
try and punish all offenders under this /
act, or such prosecution may be by in
dictment. Each week or portion there
OF that such resident shall continue a
vagrant hereunder shall constitute n
separate offence, and no appeal shall /
be allowed from any judgment Of CON
victlon for vagrancy, unless the ac-
cuscd shall give bond, with penalty and /
security to be fixed and approved by |
the court granting The appeal, CON
dtioncd not to violate this act during
the pcndcncy of such appeal Any 7
Judgment for the performance of labor
hereunder may be suspended by the (
court pronouncing the same, upon the /
execution by the person convicted Of
a bond, with the penalty and security
approved by the court, conditioned to
comply with the provisions of this act.
for one year from the date Of such /
bond. A violation Of the condition OF
such last mentioned bond shall cntitlc
The state to recover tho amount of
the penalty thereof. and in addition
thereto the convicted person shall be
rcarrested and required to serve the
sentence formerly pronounced against
him.
Sec. d. For the purpose Of this act
any male person found in this state
shall be decmcd n resident, and in any
hereunder, proof that the
accused habitually loiters in ideness in
streets, ~oads, depots, pool rooms, no.
tells. stores or other public places, that
he IS habtualiy intoxicated or is
a professional gambler, or being able
bodied IS supported in whole or part bv
the labor OF any woman or child, shall
be prlma facic evidence of vagrancy.
Sec >. That all acts and parts of
acts in conflict with this act, or any
part thereof, are hereby repealed"