Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1919-04-27
Real Soldiers Rout
the 47qker
From, the Come Back.

-i Inc SOLDIERS themselves, IOllOWlnK
the lead of that vigilant strategist,
General Publicity, have proven the
most formidable factors in routing
the hordes Of fakirs. who masque-
rade as discharged veterans in the
role of beggars and vendors Of
worthless souvenirs.
That the spectacle of the uniform
gone begging has been reduced from
a state that promised few weeks
ago to be a matter of public distress
Is openly stated by the vigilance
committees Of various national or
CARNATIONS.
1t is the soldiers, the lads who
outwitted the Germans, who have
outguessed the grafters. The boys
| who upset the plans of the war
lords have knocked into a cooked
hat the schemes of the gentle pam
handlers.
Lets talk things over" has been
the death shibboleth for those who
exploited public gratitude.
The fellows who have held out
their hands for nickles have not
been the sort who care to talk of
Chateau sThierry or the Marne or
the Argonne. 1t makes them mighty
nervous to discuss bugle calls or
guard mount. They are a bit rusty
| on the vernacular of the army. They
| become very much discouraged
when soldiers linger at their side to
| take up in a chummy way the why's
and the wherefores.
The Come Back was the first to
brand the uniformed beggars as i'm
| posters. Organized investigation re-
| vealed that 80 per cent of the men
who posed as veterans, as they So
licited public charity. had never
been in the army. The public was
urged to stop giving to these rogues
and soldiers were asked to question
all such cheats.
| Soldiers and civilians alike >haye
! been prompt in notifying the police
whenever a case of this mean brand
Of grating has been made evident.
A fellow, who pretended to have
| been a former doughboy recently
launched a lucrative venture into
one of the government buildings.
Whel he had gone, after having
takc ..,any subscriptions for an al
-Asea magazine with patriotic
| name, there was a conference of
the employees and a search made for
! {,
! No copies of the magazine referred
to have been delivered in Washing
| ton yet.
| Divers schemes of swindlers have
been turned up by activities of the
government secret service and ma
tion-wide warning is being sent out
to the larger cities to beware Of
those who exploit soldiers or who
use the uniform as beggars' guise.
/ Here are some instances of the
mean, thieving acts performed with
| the uniform as camouflage:
In an Indiana city the want col
umns of the daily papers were filled
with advertisements for discharged
soldiers seeking employment. They
were told to file their applications
and leave their discharge papers
until the next day. for examination
The next day the employment agent
had disappeared, taking with him
| the discharge papers, which may be
used in collecting back pay coming
to their owners and in other dishon-
est schemes.
In Louisville, KY, the advertising
columns of the papers were also
used in calling for men released
from the army and navy. In this
case the ulScnargeQ men were re-
quired to appear in uniform. The
employment agent addressed the
men, offering them scheme for
the selling Of worthless articles at
81 apiece. provided they divided the
| profits with them. He based his APP
peal on the fact that no one will
demur at giving 81 to, soldier or
sailor out of employment. For
| tunately, member of the local vigi-
lance committee Of the advertising
clubs was present and told the agent
that unless he left town within one
hour he would be placed under ar
rest. The agent lost no time' in leav-
| ing.
Some time will be required to run
| down the last of the swindlerS'
tricks. for the easy on the work"
artists have many methods for fol-
lowing up every "happy thought"
that discovers such fine combina-
ton as soldiers uniforms and public
sympathy. But the wheels are turn
ing and every real buddy" is out to
help the good work along.
The honor of the uniform will as
sert itself