Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1917-10-11
CENSORSHIP
PLANS STATED
BY YBURLES0N
How Government will Regu-
late Use Of Mails Must Not
Encourage lnsubordination.

Washington, Oct. 9.-Commerce
and communication restrictions au-
thorized. by trading with the enemy
act will be put into effect within a
few days under the executive order
which President Wilson had virtual
! ly completed tonight after confer
ring with cabinet members, Vance
Mccormick, chairman of the exports
administrative board, and Acting
Secretary Crosby of the treasury.
| Postmaster General Burleson an
nounced after the cabinet meeting
that the provision authorizing the
postoffice department to license for
eign language newspapers already
was in operation, and that within 10
days the department would begin to
issue licenses. A number of papers
already have filed applications and
scores are expected within the next
few days.
| Mail Censor Coming.
Under the tentative draft of the
executive order, the censorship of
nails, cables, radio and telegraph
communication would be entrusted
te. board including representatives
of the postoffice, war and navy de-
partments, and the exports admins
tration. The navy, which now CEN
sors cables, and the war department,
which exercises control over tele-
graph communication to Mexico,
proably would retain those func-
tions, while the new problem of cen
soring mail, directed particularly to
Spain and the northern European
neutral countries, would be given
Especial attention by the army and
exports administration representa-
tives on the board Of censors.,
Mr. Burleson. is. anxious that his
department refrainsas much a., pos.
|sihle from the work of actually op'
entng and censoring mail. Conse'
IqrentIy the postal authorities prob.
ABLY will limit themselves to merel,
Icooperatfng with the active censors:
May Forbid Exports.
Control over imports and exports
vested in the president by the trad
iEg with the enemy act, will be dele
|gated to the exports administration
which will enlarge its work to in
clude the many intricate problems
presented. Instead of merely licens-
ing exports, it would then have a
more positive authority to forbid un-
der heavy penalty. expectations sus-
pected of being destined to Germany
OF her allies.
i The license control over enemy in
surance companies, vested In the
president, probably will be turned
over to the war risk insurance bur-
eau of the treasury, altho this point
lis understood to be still under de.
bate, as commerce department oftic-
ials are said to be anxiosu to admin.
lister the insurance company licenses
Regulation of foreign exchange and
export of coin and bullion would be
given to the federal reserve board
which already licenses gold move
ments under the exports act.
To Handle Enemy Property.
It is understood the commerce de-
partment will be given custody of en-
emy property in the United. States
The act provides that the president
shall appoint an official for this
work, but the president is represent
/ ed as anxious not to create offices
distinct from existing departments.
i The postmaster general said today
that publications need not fear sup
preston under the trading with the
enemy acts censorship provision
unless they transgressed the bounds
of legitimate criticism of the presi-
dent, the administration, the army
the navy or conduct of the war.
I'VE shall take great care not to
let criticism which is personally OF
politically offensive to the admins
tration affect our action, ne said
"But IL newspapers 60 80 far as to
impugn the motives Of the govern.
ment and thus encourage insubordi
nation, they will be dealt with Sc
verely. 81 ,5s
What May Not lie Printed.
For instance, papers may not say
that the government is controlled by
|Wall street, or munitions manufac'
turers, or any other special inter:
i ests. n - u s5ss
ssPublications Of any. news calculat.
ed to urge the people to violate law
i will be- considered grounds for dras'
tic action. We will not tolerate cam.
|paigns against conscript ti0n, enlist
Iments saIes OF security or revenue
collect ctions. We will not permit the
publication or circulation Of any
thing hampering the wars prosecu,
Ition, 0rs Attac cking impr operly our al'
lies.
M. Bnrleson xplained that thu
policy of foreign Ian guage newspa
Il Ipers would he Judged by their pas,
Il Iptterances,a and not By newly an
sInonnced Int iOns. 2s
Flless III ~ Inslectxl
We have lss Df papers
I land whether teenses them Or no
4 ldepen1s on ON iklpe ION 0f TIL