Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-05-05
ESPIONAGE BILL IS
UP IN THE SENATE
Senator Cummins Says De-
partments Are Encroaching
on Peoples Rights.
HITS SEARCH AND SEIZURE

Senator cummins Of Iowa, in resum-
ing the Senate debate on the espionage
bill today. declared that there is a ten
dency on the part of the executive de-
partments to encroach on the rights of
the people and suggested that there is
danger of hysteria through hasty leg
islation. He said that the great indus
tries were disregarding the ANTITRUST
laws and filling their Golfers with
profits Of enormous proportions"
The Iowa senator opposed the extern
sion of search warrant authority car
ried in the bill and warned against
enactment Of such legislation.
Search and seizure have an ominous
sound in the ears of American free
men, he said
Bill Sent From the House.
The House espionage bill. with a
| modified press censorship section, was
sent to the Senate today, having passed
the House late yesterday. The censor
ship section now contained in the bill
was written by Representative Gard OF
Ohio and was adopted by slim major
ity, the vote being 191 to 1855.
The new section, drafted by Repre-
sentative Gard of Ohio. follows:
During any national emergency re-
5ultfng from a war in which the United
States is party or from imminence OF
such war, the publication, willfully and
without proper authority, of any in
formation relating to the national de-
Tense that is or may be useful to the
enemy. is hereby prohibited and the
President is hereby authorized to de-
clare by proclamation the existence OF
such national emergency and is here
by authorized from time to time by
proclamation to declare the charact
of such information which is or may be
useful to the enemy; and in any prose
cution hereunder the jury trying the
case shall determine not only whether
the defendant or defendants did will
fully and without proper authority
publish the information relating to the
national defense as set out in the in
dictment but also whether such infor-
nation was of such character as to be
useful to the enemy. Provided. That
nothing in this section shall be con-
strued to limit or restrict any discus
sion. comment or criticism upon any
fact or any OF the acts or policies OF
the government or it's representatives
or the publishing of the same. Who
ever violates the foregoing provisions
shall upon conviction thereof be pun
ished by a fine Of not more than 81 600
or by Imprisonment for not more than
ten years. or both"
Restricts Presidents Authority.
BY vote of 40 to 80 the Senate has
substituted the export embargo clause OF
the espionage bill suggested by President
Wilson with one restricting the Presi-
dents authority to embargo exports only
when American products are reaching
the enemy. The substitute embargo
| clause. agreed to by a vote in which
partisan lines were eliminated, reads:
When during the pending war the
President shall find that exports to q
particular country are being used, direct
| ly or indirectly, to supply an enemy
country, and shall make proclamation
| thereof. it shall be unlawful to expor,
| any article or articles from the United
States to such country except and under
such regulations and orders and subjec,
| to such limitations and exceptions as the
President shall prescribe, until otherwise
ordered by the President or by Con.
gress.
An amendment to the new embargo
section by Senator Fernald of Maine
| which the Senate adopted, So to IL
would authorize the President to pro-
kibit exports of tinplate or tin contain
ers whenever the United States is with
out an adequate supply" Senator Fern
aid and others have urged a tinplate
embargo because of alleged shortage and
suspension of canneries.