The nation needs the productive work of each citizen in time of
peace as truly as in time of war, although when it is not fighting
for its very life it is more tolerant of those who do not
contribute efficiently by their work to the common good. It
carries them along somehow. But such members of the community are
a burden and a source of weakness at all times. Therefore, for
example, there are in most of our communities laws against
vagrancy; that is, against willful and habitual idlers "without
visible means of support," such as beggars and tramps.

PROBLEM OF THE UNEMPLOYED

There are times when many men are "out of work." In times of
business depression the number may become very great, while in
prosperous times the number dwindles; but always there are some.
It is often through no fault of their own; it is another result of
the imperfect adjustment of our community life. It often happens
that while large numbers of men are unable to find work in
industrial centers, the farmers may be suffering for want of help.
This may be merely because there is no way by which to let workmen
know where they are needed, or of distributing them to meet the
need. Or, many of the unemployed may be unskilled, while the
demand is for skilled workmen; or they may be skilled in one line,
while the demand is in another line. Whatever the causes, the
"problem of the unemployed" is one of the most serious that the
community has to deal with. During the war the national government
sought to overcome these difficulties by the organization of an
employment service in the Department of Labor, and state and local
communities established employment bureaus.