The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1919-07-31
USING UNIFORMS TO
KEEP FROM WORKING

Other cities are having trouble with
men of small calibre wearing uni
forms. according to stories published
in different Nevada newspapers. The
case reported at Elko, an account Of
which is published below, sounds not
at all unlike Winnemucca incident
of several days ago. A soldier and
sailor came here, secured aid from the
Red Cross in the shape Of hotel ac-
commodations and other necessities
of life, it is understood. After the at
tempted robbery of the postoffice local
officers became interested in the
young men and inquiry brought out
that they had been offered ranch work
at S4 per day and board, but refused,
saying: I'VE did our work in France.
These people are going to take care of
us for while"
The authorities say that kind
hearted people make their work hard
in these cases. While there are, of
course. worthy service men up against
it, the class of men habitually solicit
ing money and using their uniforms
for the purpose are generally of a
class with low ideals. Frequently
petty crime comes easy to them. The
policemen say that as long as they
have money and are living at hotel
they are hard to handle.
Other press comment on the subject
follows:
Officer Cotant reports that two men
dressed in a soldier and sailor uni
form, have been in Elko for the past
several days, soliciting aid from the
Red Cross and the public. They re-
fuse to go to work and claim that
they should be given money to defray
their expenses to the coast The Off
GERS desire to notify the public that
the government has issued a warning
against men dressed in uniform So
liciting aims, and that they have no
right to use the uniform for this pur-
pose.-[ Elko Free Press.
Alleging that they abused their
privileges and used their uniforms to
swindle the Red Cross, Y.MC.A., and
other organizations for aid to service
men. T. L. Withers, in charge of the
American Legion and War Camp Com
munity Service aid bureaus in Reno,
had William Fisher, James Robin and
Louis Bruins arrested in that city last
Monday night. Two of them were
discharged sailors and the other a
soldier. and it is alleged that they
were given money by the aid societies
to buy transportation to Floriston TO
work, and that they spent the money
having a good time in Reno instead
Chief Kirkley. who had given the
men warning to get to work instead
of asking aid, placed them in the city
Jail and gave them orders to leave
town in the morning. The case is one
Of several that have occurred in Reno
and other Nevada towns lately, in
which the Y.M.C.A., Community Serv-
ice, Red Cross, and American Legion,
have been victimized by men who,
wearing the uniform, claim aid and
lodging while spending their money
and refusing to work.
There seem to be many shiftless
men like these" says Withers. who
float from one town to another, living
on the charity that their uniforms
bring them. The organizations which
aid them are becoming disgusted and
will in future be more careful about
giving aid The police have COM
planned of these men loafing on the
streets. and there are several agencies
which can find them jobs at once.
Hereafter only men will be sent
to the Y.M.C.A. who have been intro
duced by one of the societies. and IL
a man is loaned money and found a
job he will be given twenty-four hours
to start in. If he is still loafing he
will be arrested. The " is taking
care of every man sent there and is
cooperating willingly"