The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-06-01
WON'T GAG PRESS
House Opposes Any Censorship
of Newspapers.
Kansans in Debate-3 Against
and 3 for It.

Washington, June 1.-The admins
tration's fight for a war censorship on
newspapers has been lost in congress
when the house refused. by a vote of
1874 to 14f, to accept even the modified
censorship section written into the bill
in conference. The senate already is
on record as opposed to a censorship
and leaders in congress do not expect
any further administration effort to
enact one i'll the immediate future
The test in the house came on a mo-
ton to recommit the bill with instIuc-
tions that the censorship regulations
be eliminated.
In the house debate today, oppo-
nents of the censorship argued that 4
restriction such as the conferees pro-
posed would violate the right of frea
press. The voluntary censorship I'M
der which the country'S newspapers
now are working was pointed to as
demonstration of the patriotism OF
editors enc as proving that nc legal
restrictions are needed.
Campbell of Kansas Speaks.
Kansas and Missouri nearly had a
field day on the bill. Representative
Dyer and Representative Rucker of
Missouri both made speeches demand
ing that the press be put under a cen
sorship. Representative Campbell of
Kansas made a stirring speech against
it.
The objection I have is that it is as
sumed that the newspapers are less
patriotic than other classes of citi-
zens," the Kansas member said. ''I
don't believe that all the patriotism or
! that all the zeal for country or de-
| sire for our winning the war rests with
those temporarily in power. The news
papers are patriotic and have proved
/ themselves so. L resent this singing
/ out the newspapers as a class to put
restrictions on them in spy bill.
Nothing has been done by the
! newspapers to justify this assault
| Little of Kansas then broke over to
! the Democrats who were supporting
| the censorship provision. He said
when it came to choosing between the
I friendship of newspapers and the safe
| ty of the soldiers going to Europe, he
was going to stand by the soldiers.
Little Blames Press for War.
THE newspapers had enough to dc
with bringing on this war and it's time
they made some sacrifices" he said
The new Kansas member was only
repeating the stock" argument for
the press gag law that the safety OF
the troops demanded a law prohibiting
the publication of military movements
! 1t was pointed out again and again
in debate that every newspaper was
voluntarily suppressing any news OF
military value already and no COM
plant had been made against them;
that it was ridiculous to believe that
Germany, with her big spy system, was
depending on newspaper publications
to get her information; and that the
real protection of the soldiers and sail
ors lay in leaving the press not
gagged" so that if bad conditions
arose or incompetence developed in the
handling of the troops, the public
could be informed and public opiinor
would bring about a change. In de-
bate, it was charged by Representative
Graham of Pennsylvania, who led the
fight against the censorship, that the
new provision was worse than the one
originally adopted by the House. f.
said in effect, it gave the president
complete powers to prescribe only
what news regarding military move
ments could be published and tina
nothing could legally be published ex
cept what the president designated
On the vote of 1S4 to la, the Kan
sas members voted as follows: Agains
''muzzling" the press-Anthony, Camp
bell Connolly. For censorship-Lit
tie Helvering and Ayers.