The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-05-05
ESPIONAGE BILL
PASSED BY HOUSE
WITH AMENDMENT
Modified Censorship Feature Added After
1nsistent Fight by Administration
for More Rigid Policy.

Washington, d. c., May 4.-The es
pionage bill was passed by the House
late yesterday with modified censor
ship provision after administration lead
ers had lost an insistent fight for re
tention of the original section aimed al
the publication of news of value to the
enemy The final vote was 260 to lo6.
Consideration OF similar measure
continued in the Senate during the day
and there too the administration suffered
a defeat. An export embargo amend
ment, about which the fight in the
Senate has centered, was modified SO as
to substitute for the general authority
proposed a provision to empower the
president to restrict exports in specific
cases when American goods are reaching
the enemy.
In the House the entire administration
censorship section was rejected by vote
of 220 to l67 despite pleas of Representa-
tive Webb, chairman of the judiciary
committee, that President Wilson had
sent him word that the authority sought
was absolutely necessary" Later
new section, drawn by Representative
Gard OF Ohio, was adopted, 100 to lSo.
1t would permit the president to pro-
hibit publication of news regarding the
national defense, but would provide spe-
eiically for jury trial for offenders and
make conviction dependent upon proof
that matter published was of character
useful to an enemy.
Representative Graham of Pennsylva-
MIA and others charged that trickery had
been practiced because the Gard amend
ment was offered and voted upon after
some members opposed to any sort OF
censorship had left the House with the
understanding that there would be no
further voting on the section. Ihey
were threatening last night to carry
their fight to conference if possible.
The new section drafted by Represen-
tative Gard of Ohio, follows:
During any national emergency re-
sulting from war in which the United
States is party or from imminence of
such war, the publication, willfully and
without proper authority, of any infor-
nation relating to the national defense
that is or may be useful to the enemy,
is hereby prohibited and the president is
hereby authorized to declare by procla-
nation the existence of such national
and is hereby authorized from
time to time by proclamation to declare
the character of such information which
is or may be useful to the enemy; and
in any prosecution hereunder the jury
trying the case shall determine not only
whether the defending or the defendants
lid wilfully and without proper authori-
.y publish the information relating TO
he national defense as set out in the
but also whether such intor- |
nation was of such character as to be
lseful to the enemy. Provided: That |
nothing in this section shall be construed |
% limit or restrict any discussion, COM
nent or criticism upon any fact or any |
If the acts or policies Of the govern
nent or its representatives or the pub !
ishing OF the same. Whoever violates
he foregoing provisions shall upon con-
,iction thereof be punished by fine OF
Tot more than $4,000 or by imprison-
nent of not more than ten years, or
10Th"
That the bill could not be finally dis
,osed of in the Senate beforeNnext week
vas announced Just before adjournment
asst night by Senator 0verman. To-
ay the Senate considered the mail cen
orship section and another vote will be
ad, probably next week, on the press
ensorship provision tentatively ap-
royed