Evening journal., 1917-10-11
THURSDAY, OCTOBER II, 1917.
Save your money-it IS wiser
Buy a bond and can the Kaiser.
ENFORCE IT WISELY.

n RESIDENT WILSON has signed bill that is, in prin
cipe, Of the most drastic pieces Of legislation
enacted in this country This Is the Trading With
the Enemy Act-a misleading title far It's purpose
is concerned which is to impose censorship upon the
press Of the country the native English as we'll as the
foreign-langiage paper.
Originally Il aimed at the disloyal German press
One provision that for every article printed by such
papers fun translation should be nled with the local
representative Of the postonce department. and notice
to the effect that such translation had been ned
required TO be printed in English the article
The paper. The posiofce department under the Es-
ponage Act has power TO bar from the malls any paper
at its discretion sort Of censorship itself The ordl
nary German paper In this country crculates largely
through the nails
However, as the act came out OF conference, 10 be
hastily voted law by overburdened and tlme-pressed
Senators and Representatives It contained clause ex
tending the Jurisdiction Of Postmaster General Bureson
ct ameaning Solicitor General Lamar and the rest Of
Mr. Bureson's legal sdvsors-to the entire press Of
the country
The new clause makes II unlawful 70 publish IN the
FIRST place. or to circulate In any way, by express, by
carrier or newsstand to sell or 10 give away any pub
lcation printed IN either foreign language In English,
that the postmaster general may declare unavailable.
The question that sgltates Washington: How did this
new clause get into the BILL and at whose instance is
there7
The new censorship clause has every appearance OF
ioker" as It lies 10 the text Of the bill. slipped be-
tween tumble Of sentences concerning the foreign LAM
giage press its real import is scarcely discernibe at
casual reading
with that bin signed we have actually got real cen=.
sorship in the hands or Postmaster General Bureson
and Senator Lamar censorship that means that any
paper IN the country whose tone these don't happen
to Ike be forced into shutting up shop and saerihc-
ing lis business.
courts can grant restraining order even against
Ar. Burleson. But going to court delay. and de-
lay Is apt to be fatal and sure to be expensive in the
case Of delay with active competition.
vi course President Wilson is the court OF last resort
AZ can bounce Burieson and Lamar, we'll as any Of
~ members Of his cabinet out OF office al will and It
Is TO be expected that he can control ,h ., ~ go,
S we look TO The President then as the real cens@
- u F'esoent took the time to Investigate the merits
u e'ers case mat the postofce department acts ,non
'S' u ul0 government would have to get along
pretty largely without his attention "e
We have doubt that President WIZ
when Democratic government aitemnts a. 49, '''.
from the people, to do business behind closed -
that's what censorship really means-n s,syas - m
light Of criticism; dlstrus resentment are So
be awakened The people at home for whom az ~. "
makers supposed TO be working say: we gave W.,
your Jobs We have right to how you attend /
them" And they IT,
II the folk with finger in the lawmaklne pie wa,
to win this war and win It quickly they viii see M
the government gets closer 10 the people, not far,h
away from them. That was the Presidents original i'd
when at the beginning OF the war he Established Il
publicity bureau under George Creel. 1t was publici
bureau for the people, not a censorship bureau agar
the people.
These mighty important things TO think Of. \
Wilson is far-seene Wherefore Il is safe TO 5
he will consider them carefully along with that m
named Trading With the Enemy Act. He must kno
from the support he has received from newspapers Of
shades OF partisan and fractional opinion that IN
nney-nine per cent Of the newspapers and periodlc
in the United States are intensely loyal; that they
need do not want and Will not tolerate. either me
muzzle. Knowing that he doubtless VIII give II
peratve orders that the law shall be used for
suppression OF the per cent OF dsloyal newspape
and periodicals and not misused to harrass the ninet
nine per cent. Of loyal publications to stide them
honest patriotic and beneficial criticism.
Liberty Loan bond subscribed for now is the be-
-t~thvo nv