New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-05-12
Censorship Loses
Ground, Despite
Stones Defence
Substitute Clause Is APP
proved by the Senate
After Long Debate
Calls Measure Menace
johnson Declares Proposed
Law Would Make a Crime
Of the Truth
Calls Measure Menace

Washington, May l1.-Despite an ar
raignment Of the press by Senator
Stone, charm an of the Foreign Rela-
tions Committee, who, because Of being
one of the "wilful men" and because Of
his vote against the war resolution has
come in for much criticism in the last
few months. the section Of the espion-
age bill that would gag the press and
free speech lost ground to-day.
Genator Underwood. Of Alabama, one
Of the strongest men on the Demo-
cratic side. who voted for drastic
espionage bill. which passed the Senate
but failed in the House last session,
came out to-day against any censorship
clause at all.
Mr.. Underwood got way down under
the skins of the friends of the bill by
rdiculng the idea that publication Of
facts by the newspapers would be Of
any assistance to Germany so long as
the government controlled all the
cables ana wireless SldAlOuS.
Senator Walsh inquired if Mr.. I'm
derwood did not know there were pow
erful wireless stations on the coast OF
Mexico which could communicate with
Germany.
Control Mexican Border
1--WE control the Mexican border,
d do y n |. n o
could reach these wireless stations from
+ the United States except by German
! spies travelling to them from the
/ United States. which would bring in
an element Of delay which would make
the information valucless to Ger
many"
Senator Borah. Of Idaho. read from
Billiards. recent book sections which
declared the English and French cen
! sorships had been the most stupid
moves made by those governments dur
ing the war
The principal defence of the press
gag section was made by Senator
Stone. who has been Directing TO any
modification of the gag law. he reae
long articles from biographies OF
George Washington, showing how the
first President was assailed by newspa
pers Of his time.
"The much talked of freedom of the
press said Mr. Stone, "is readily eX
tended to license"
lie added that the newspapers OF th'
present day, if anything were more un
fair in their criticism than those OF tn'
time of Washington. Despite this, HI
said. he deplored the necessity of dras
tic legislation to curb free speech ant
free press, saying it would De eN
ceedingly dangerous, except in times o
great emergency, such as these are.
"Unrestrained Press Danger
An unrestrained press, he said Il
more dangerous than unrestricted
speech. He cited recent newspaper ar
t:cles. telling of plan to mine and ne
the North Sea. so as to keep the SUP
marines in German ports, as evidence
of exposing information. 80,
Mr.. Stone may have had in mind th'
criticism TO which he was subjected be
cause of his exposure on the floor Of
the Senate. in his long speech IN TN
flibuster which killed the armed neu
trality bill, of one of the plans of th'
Navy Department for defending armed
merchantmen from U-boats.
Gentlemen of the press" he de
clared dramatically. why do you no
set an example to the people OF the
country? | commend to you your owl
! slogan: Stand by the President
but il all depends on whose OK Il
gored." he continued, after telling o
newspaper criticism OF CongressmeI
who differed with the President an'
newspaper criticism Of the Admins
tration. "Men are moved TO laughter
by the screech of one whose toes arr
stepped upon, but it is very diheren
thing when a man feels heavy pressure
on his own corns."
Newspaper men, he said, regarded