The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-04-20

Senator Smith of Georgia criticized the bill. T don't think" he said, ''that we should allow our patriotism and earnest desire to sustain the Pres ident to make us forget the rights of the citizens of the United States and be willing to abandon them.'
 Civil War days and the publication in Northern and Southern newspapers of Information relating to army move ments which proved valuable to both sides were recalled by Senator Nelson, a Civil War veteran. He referred to the use of poisonous gas on the Eu- ropean battlefelds. We had better prepare to protect our boys" he said, against the poisonous gas of these newsmongers."
 Senator Nelson praised the newspa- pers for observing present voluntary censorship, but said there were few guerilla newspapers that needed forclble restraint.
 T am greatly concerned with the press in this discussion,'' said Senator Johnson. "A decent and self-respect- ing press will in war censor itself and will not give aid or comfort to the enemy ,and a decent and self-respect- ing press, true to its traditions and true to the spirit of America, will not be deterred by any law from honest and legitimate discussion or criticism. am concerned chiefly with the right of free speech, with the very preser- vattOn of democracy itself.
 A War of All Our People
 ''This is neither a partisan war nor a war of part of our people. This is an American war of all our people. and America is the light and beacon for world democracy. War is the natural enemy of freedom and de- mocracy. We have already conferred practically autocratic powers finan- cially; we doubtless will in the fu- ture, where imperative necessity de- mands it, accord extraordinary and unheard of powers upon the Presi dent. But we must stop short of suc- cessful assault upon democracy's basic. principle.
 '.No free people should be submit ted to undefined and indefnab1e laws To subject people to unwritten penal statutes, resting from day to day in the bosom of any one man, however. exalted, in nebulous and elastic lan- guage, even where no evil intent ex- ists, by construction of any one of ficial, however high and highly re- spected, to make felons of our peo- pie, is an excursion into autocracy in America, that cannot be justified or ex- cused, by our desire to destroy auto cracy in Europe"
 Senator Colt, in defending the bill, said that eff it is necessary to sus- pend or nullify law in order to save the nation, venture to say the peo- pie will justify and ratify the action"
 Senator. Reed told the Senate that an erroneous doctrine is being preach ed throughout the country, that be- cause the United States is at war the Government can do anything 1t pleases.
 .eThis is unsound," he added. "Al- though we have virtually declared war against Germany, the Constitu- tions of the states and the laws of the United States all stand unimpair- ed. Up to the time that martial law is declared, the Constitution and civil laws remain and cannot be destroy ed" /
 Round Robin for Free Speech.
 A round robin urging the President to give out a statement reminding the country that the historic rights of free speech, free press and the rights of assemblage should not be jeopardized at this time through the too jealous spread of bureaucratic laws and of official activities was made public here yesterday.
 Among those who signed the docu- ment were Judge Ben Lindsey, Chas. c. Birmingham of New York, Chas. J. Rhoades of the Federal Reserve Board of Philadelphia. Oswald Garri- son Willard, Jane Addams, Lillian D. wald, Amos Pinchot, Max Eastman. Dr. John Lovejoy, Elliott, Rabbi Wise and Prof. Henry R. Muzzey of Co., h, v, hi TInivorSitv