The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-04-30
PRESS WILL UNITE TO
CHECK ESPIONAGE BILL
Newspapers win Petition Congress
Not to Pass Reg ulation to
Hinder War Stories.
DECLARE PASSAGE WOULD
VIOLATE FREE SPEECH LAW
Representatives to Be Told That All
Freedom Rites Would BE Violated
II Public Could Not Be Informed
of Battle Results.

New York, April 2s.-Taking the
stand that the espionage bill. now be-
fore congress, is a menace to the lib
critics OF the country and that 1t
might some time be used to gag the
press of the United States, many OF
the leading newspapers Of the coun-
try united today to make red-hot war
on the measure.
Many Of the publishers uniting in
the move. in which are prominent
the papers controlled by William r.
Hearst. today mapped out a plan for
the war on the espionage bill Teie-
grams requesting active cooperation
in an effort to defeat the bill were
sent to 1000 editors throughout the
United States. Each OF these expect
force. II was also planned TO obtain
the views OF the leading thinkers of
the country as to the dangers to Re
publican institutions accompanying
The present form of the espionage
bill. Governors of tho states. lead
ing members of their legislatures and
every other possible influence is to be
/ invoked TO defeat the measure in
congress
Within two days It IS expected hun
dreds of newspapers throughout the
country will be carrying the form OF
petition TO congress I'm opposition
10 tho measure. II will read as fol-
lows:
To the Congress Of the United States
| Your petitioners earnestly and re-
spectfuliy ask the congress not 10 pass
! any censorship act that shall extend
| hcyond military and naval news OF
value to the enemy.
The whole country Is engaged in
war. and the whole country should be
permitted to know the truth about
tthe war.
It is always dangerous in a re-
public TO withhold from the people
fIli knowledge OF their affairs, or TO
: deprive the press OF the right freely
/ 10 express public opinion
| The censorship provision Of the
| espionage bill now pending IN con-
/ grcss is an assault upon the very
foundation OF our free institutions
| freedom OF thought and OF speech.
Bill lis Un-American.
| II is un~American. because IL tends
20 put in full effect for the first time
/ in the life OF this republic regulations
for the suppression OF news and free
| public discusston--a suppression prac-
| ticed only under monarchies and au-
tocracies
It is un-democra.ic In that II VOL
ates the principle enunciated by
I Thomas Jefferson author OF the dec
| iaration Of independence WHO de-
! clared that government without laws
, would be better than government
without a free press
; 1t is un-repuhlican in that il violates
the principle OF Abraham Lincoln.
who said that ii was better that pub
! lie officials should he criticised un-
t Justly than that they should not be
criticised at all
| 1t Is un-patriotic in that It violates
| the spirit II not the letter Of our
constitution. which provided Congress
shall make no law ahridging the
! freedom of speech or the press"
We. therefore, urge that congress
/ shall take no step to withhold from
the people that full Information of
| full progress and conduct OF the war
| which is necessary for their proper
! enlightenment
! Concealment OF military plans and
/ operations during their execution is
always necessary. but concealment Of
the result OF those operations. OF
/ failures or reverses or past mistakes,
or OF incompetence or dishonesty, Is
| inexcusable in a republic.