The review. [volume] (High Point, N.C.) 1908-19??, 1917-05-17
BILL i
PASSED BY SENATE
SIMILAR MEASURE HAD ALRE.n,
BEEN PASSED BY rHE
HOUSE.
GOES TO CONFERENCE NV
Prohibition and Press Censorship o
tlons Left Out by senate.-H.,
Been a Long Bitter Fight,

Washington. - After nearly tb,..
weeks OF debate, the senate, by a w.
of II to 6, passed the administrot,o'
espionage bill, pronounced one of Sa
most drastic and aN-inclusive measu,.'
in American congressional history
A similar bill has passed the Hon..
and virtual redrafting of many Of tb0
most important provisions is exuecfnS
in the Forthcoming conference.
During the days final consideration
the Senate stripped the measure ~
provisions for newspaper censorsbin
and restriction upon manufacture ~
grain into Intoxicating liquors. and
rejected an amendment designed n
curb speculation in food products. al.
though sentiment obviously was over.
whelming in favor of such Legislation
later.
AS completed, the Senate bilPs prin.
cipal selections provide:
Authority for the president to EN-.
barge exports when he finds that the
public safety and welfare so require
(not in the House measure);
Mail Censorship.
Authority for the pos:office depart.
ment to censor mails and exclude mail
matter deemed seditious, anarchistic
or reasonable, and making its mail.
ing punishable under heavy penalties
(not in the House bflD;
For punishment of espionage, de.
fined in most detailed terms, inclUd.
ng wrongful use of military informa.
ton;
For the control of merchant vessels
in American waters;
Punishment for conveyance Of false
reports to. interfere with military oper-
ations, wilful attempts to cause
disaffection in the military or naval
forces or instructions of recruiting.
For the seizure of arms and mum.
tons and prohibition of their expOrta.
ton under certain conditions;
For penalizing conspiracies design
ed to harm American foreign dele
cations or for destruction of property
within the United States;
For increased restrictions upon is
suance of passports with penalties for
their forgery or false procurement;
and
For material extension of the power
to issue search warrants for inspection
of premises.
Export Embargo.
The clause giving the president
power to embargo exports was re-
tanned in the bill virtually as drafted
by administration officials.
It was modified once, but the un-
qualified provision was restored after
it's necessity had been explained last
week in a days session behind closed
doors.
Vigorous efforts to retain provisions
for the newspaper censorship and
partial prohibition together with
foodstuff conservation, Turing the
war, eliminated in final votes in which
the Senate voted 48 to "a to eliminate
all provisions for nress censorship. On
behalf of the administration forces
Senator Overman, in charge OF tne
bill, had moved to reinsart a modlned
censorship clause. AS the House DEL
contains provision for determination
by the jury of culpabrIity for violation
of censorship regulations to be pro-
null gated by the President, the ADMIN
istration is expected to bring strong
pressure for drafting in conference VI
a compromise censorship section
On the question of prohibition anu
foodstuff conservation, the Senate by
a vote of 6to 81, reversed it's action
of Saturday in accepting Senator Cunl
Minis amendment providing that our
ing the war. manufacture of cereals
grain, sugar and syrup into intoxlca'-
ing liquors should be prohibited. D!
this vote it struck out the Cum1IlIn'
offered as a food conserTa
ton step, but attacked as really pro-
move.