Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1917-10-11
THURSDAY, OCTOBER II, 1917.
Save your mOney-it Is wiser
Buy a bond and can the Kaiser.
ENFORCE IT=WIsELY.


ID RESIDENT WILSON has signed bin that is in prin-
oipe Of the most drastic pieces Of legislation
enacted IN this country. This is the Trading With
the Enemy Act-a misleading title as purpose
Is concerned which is to impose censorship upon the
press Of the country, the native English we'll the
foreign-anguage paper.
Originally It was aimed at the dlsloya German press
One provision that for every article printed by such
papers a fun translation should be ned with the local
representative OF the postonce department and notice
to the effect that such translation had been nlod
required to be printed In English the article
the paper The postonlce department under the Es-
pionage has power 10 bar from the mails any paper
at discretion Of censorship In ITSELF The ord
nary German paper in this country clrouates largely
through the mails.
However, as the act came out OF conference, to be
hastily voted law by overburdened and tlme-pressed
Senators and Representatives It contained clause
tending the Jurisdiction Of Postmaster General Bureson
ct ameaning Solicitor General Lamar and the rest Of
Mr. Bureson's legal advsors-to the entire press Of
the country.
The new clause makes II unlawful 20 publish In the
FIRST place or to circulate IN any way by express by
carrier or newsstand to sell to give away any pub
lcaon printed in either foreign language or In English
that the postmaster general may declare unmailabIe
The question that agtates Washington: How did this
new clause get into the BILL and at whose instance Is 1t
AereS
The new censorship clause has every appearance Of
"oker" as It lies in the text OF the BILL slipped be-
tween tumble OF concerning the foreign Ian
guage press It's real import scarcely dscernble at
casual reading.
With that bill signed have actually got real CEN
sorshp in the hands OF Postmaster General Burleson
and Senator Lamar-a censorship that means that any
paper The country whose tone these men don't happen
to like can be forced into shutting up shop and sacrc-
ing its business.
The courts grant restraining order against
Air. Bureson. But going to court delay, and de-
lay is apt to be fatal and to be expensive in the
case Of a delay with active competition.
of course President Wilson is the court Of last resort
He can bounce Burleson and Lamar as well as any OF
tne members ofhis cabinet out Of onlce at will and It
s 70 De expected that he control them 10 an extent
Sha we look to the President then as the real censor9
II the President took the time investigate the merits
Of every case that the posoce department acts unon
The rest Of the would have To got along
pretty largely without his attention.
We have doubt that President Wilson ,-o. Al, 81,
when a Democratic government attempts to hdo Wo,,
from the people, to do business behind closed
that's what censorship really means-t slaves ~, an
light of criticism; dlstrus and are sure
be awakened. The people at home. for whom the law
makers are supposed TO be working say; I'VE gave yo
your Jobs. We have right to how you attend
them" And they IT,
II the folk with finger in the lawmaking pie wal
to win this and win IL quickly they will see IN
10rtll
away from them. That the Presidents original id
when at the beginning Of the he established u
publicity bureau under George Creel. It publici
bureau for the people, not censorship bureau again
the people.
These are mighty important things to think OF. \
Wilson is a far-seeng Wherefore IL is safe to s
he will consider them carefully, along with that m
named Trading with the Enemy Act He must kno
the support he has received from newspapers Of
shades Of partisan and fractional opinion that IN
nnetynine per cent Of the newspapers and periodic
IN the United States intensely loyal; that they
not need do not want and will not tolerate either me
ace or muzzle knowing that he doubtless will give II
peratve orders that the law shall be used for Il
suppression OF the per cent OF disloya newspape
and periodicals not misused to harrass the nnet
mne per cent Of loyal publications or TO stle them
honest patriotic and beneficial criticism.
liberty Loan bond subscribed for is the bei
u laying by something for a rainy day"