The Washington herald., 1917-05-12
coNr1NuEp PROM PAaz oNE.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE
ceive a majority. thus ending the ques-
'Srhe mischief which we seek to REM
edy here by amendment and modifica-
ton can only be reached by the elimina-
ton of the censorship section altogeth-
er," declared Senator Johnson IN the
opening OF his speech yesterday.
IT wish to say at the outset that do
not speak for the metropolitan press OF
the nation. I am not concerned with
the attitude Of the newspapers. They are
sufficiently powerful. rich, and infiuen-
tial to take care of themselves. IShave
no doubt that no matter how We may
legtslate here on this matter they will go
forward as they see fit and in full ac-
cord with their traditions. II Is for the
sacred American right. for the man to
express himself as he sees Mt. that I
plead. I am talking for the right OF free
speech, the right that belongs to every
man in this land"
In this crisis the right of free speech
and free press are Of greater Importance
than at any time in the history of the
United States, In the opinion Of Senator
Johnson. who said:
"It is a fact admitted that the legis-
lative branch OF this government has for
gotten its initiative and has abrogated
its functions. If this be true, much,
much more tenderly and carefully should
we guard the right of free press to
print the truth.
Would Mean AutOcracy.
'Tn follow the President and pledge
to him every resource of wealth as well
as blood, but we should not follow any
one into autocracy, no matter whence
comes the request"
letter to Arthur Brisbane, NSe editorial
writer, in which the President pledged
that he would not permit the censorship
to be applied to his acts and policies,
Senator Johnson said that he considered
the Presidents expression both patriotic
and unselhsh.
But he continued, by this letter he
has written the death knell Of this very
law. By this letter he writes that 1t
should not be passed by Congress. He
abrogates ii insofar as it applies to him
self before It is passed, but he says in
effect that II there is an incompetent and
inefficient subordinate in the government,
my lips and your lips are closed. The
President, with this letter, has made the
best argument against the censorship
provision that has yet been made. Upon
that letter We who do not believe In the
suppression of free speech and a free
press could we'll afford to rest our case. ."
Senator Borah's attack on the censor
ship provisions was along constitutional
lines. He expressed the opinion that the
inhibitions proposed in the measure were
in point OF fact diametrIcally opposed
to the constitutional rights of the in
dividual and Of the people at large.
Senator BOrah also revised the history
OF past attempts in the United States to
enforce a censorship.
"Iamentable and complete failure has
marked every other attempt TO enforce
a censorship in the United States" he
said. Tt was tried by a law passed in
the course OF the war Of 1872, and 1t was
a failure then. Again, in the course OF
the American civil war, censorship was
attempted. Again It was a failure, col
losal and eggregious."
From a little booklet recently published
by a newspaper man who has made a
critical study OF the effects OF the censor
ship in Britain and France, Senator
Borah read to the Senate:
The British and the French censor
ships have constituted the most ridicu.
lous and laundering exhibition provided
in the whole course Of the war"
Senator Borah told the Senate that the
in the service OF the United States gov.
ernment.
Tho way out Of the evils OF unrestrained
publicity was through the other features
OF the espionage bill. in the opinion OF
Senator Borah.
Brilliant and agile as are the gentle
men who conduct the news-gathertng Of
the National Capital" he said. the in,
formation which does the harm, the in.
formation regarding troop and ship move.
ments, will be in the hands Of the enemy
forty-eight hours before they ever get a
chance to print It, for the spies don't
wait for the newspapers to print the IN
form alton they are here TO CLEAN"