March, 1918 Number I Serial No. 105 Entered as Second-Class Matter, November 20, 1912, at the Post Office at Columbus, Ohio, HARVARD UNIVERSITY JAN 2 1942 OF GRADUATE SCHOOL PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION DEPOSITED BY HARVARD COLLEGE LIBRARY The Ohio Bulletin of Charities CARE OF POOR PERSONS Statistics-1916 PUBLISHED QUARTERLY BY THE OHIO BOARD OF STATE CHARITIES Address all Communications to H. H. SHIRER, EDITOR, 335 South High Street PRESS OHIO STATE REFORMATORY GOVERNOR JAMES M. Cox, President Ex-Officio RUFUS C. BURTON, Chairman H. H. MCFADDEN. REV. WM. A. HALE, D. D. MISS LUCY B. BUELL MRS. PAULINE STEINEM J. O. WHITE.. W. H. STOUTT JOHN G. PRICE H. H. SHIRER, Secretary . Dayton Zanesville Steubenville .. Dayton Painesville Toledo Cincinnati Uhrichsville Columbus In the Ohio Bulletin of Charities and Correction for December, 1917, there appeared a report of a special committee appointed by the Ohio Branch, Council of National Defense, in which certain recommendations were made relative to the treatment of the class of persons commonly known as tramps and vagrants. On April 5, 1918, Governor Cox, recognizing the importance of dealing strenuously with this group, issued a clear-cut Proclamation upon the subject, which is herewith printed in full. STATE OF OHIO EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT PROCLAMATION Ohio needs the fullest capacity of man power. No part of our task should be shirked. A diminished immigration has seriously curtailed the labor supply; thousands of our sons are in the service, and hundreds of reservists have returned to join their native colors. The result is a minimum of man power for the maximum demands of production, transportation and distribution. In several states emergency statutes have been enacted to corral those who, though able, refuse to work. Ohio already has two statutes, and their enforcement, it is felt, will adequately care for the situation. Reference is here made to Sections 13408 and 13409 of the General Code. The former is the almost-forgotten "tramp law" and provides for imprisonment in the penitentiary, certain elements being present. The latter is directed against vagrants-able-bodied persons who refuse to work, or to look for work-and provides for jail imprisonment. Once incarcerated, the energies of these can be revived and utilized by the state, city or county. Whole squads of the prisoners at the Ohio Penitentiary have volunteered to work on state highways, making it unnecessary to enforce this duty when need therefor was known. Ohio is trying to supply a maximum consumption. All should be at work. The tramp and the vagrant are at best a menace to society, and in this hour of Ohio's tremendous war effort they are the drones that should be driven from the hive. If a man is unwilling to produce as he consumes, it devolves upon the state to exact from him his measure of work. The tramp and the vagrant are just now forsaking their hibernating haunts to go about the land, living by their own wits and others' labor. In order that every available human energy in the state may be utilized, as Governor of Ohio, I would respectfully call upon the respective county and city officials to exert their vigilance in rounding up tramps, vagrants and others of their ilk, and would bespeak the zealous co-operation of those identified with the common defense and with food production and conservation, toward the end that every able-bodied person in Ohio shall be put to work, either willingly or unwillingly. [SEAL] In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name and caused the Great Seal of the State of Ohio to be affixed at Columbus this fifth day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and eighteen. JAMES M. COX, Governor. By the Governor, WILLIAM D. FULTON, Secretary of State. |