The sun., 1917-09-25
P.0. HEAD MADE
PRESS CENSOR
Interpolated Clause in Enemy
Trading Act Gives Right
to Close Mails.
Special DespdtcA 10 TIE Sex.


WASHINGTON, Sept. 24.-Powers equiv
alent to those sought by the Adminis-
tration In the censorship provisions Of
the espionage act Of June. 1917. which
were denied by the Congress at that
time. have been accorded the executive
branch Of the Government through the
Postmaster-General In the new trading
with the enemy act. The conference re-
port on the bill was adopted in the
Senate to-day by a vote Of 4s to 6. As
now drawn most drastic action on the
part OF the Postmaster-C General may
follow any infraction Of the espionage
law as he himself may interpret It.
Tho victory won by the press Of the
United States last June. in the opinion
Of some. will be largely nullified IL the
King amendment. accepted to-day. goes
through In this amendment, aimed at
suppressing seditious foreign language
! newspapers. a clause has been inserted.
II Is alleged which makes these pow
ers existent over the English language
press as well.
Wide scope Of New Clause.
The following excerpt from the section
adopted contains the clause which ac-
cords to the Postmaster-General the
alleged powers OF censorship over the
press
Amy print, newspaper. or publication
In any foreign language, which does
not conform to the provisions OF this
section is hereby declared to be nom
any person, firm. corporation or associa- :
tion to transport, carry. or otherwise
publish or distribute the same or to trans
port. carry. or otherwise distribute any
matter which Is made nonmailable by
the provisions OF the act relating to
espionage. approved June Is, 1917"
In other words. according to the pos
sible Interpretation of the proposed law
between which and the statute books
OF the United States there stands only
the possible adverse action of the
House Of Representatives, the Post
master-General may at his own will de-
eide that any particular publication is
seditious or otherwise against the pres
cnt war policy of the United States and
declare the same to be nonmaila bic.
Once this Is done the operation of both
laws working In unison estops any dis
trbuting agency in the land from the
great news agencies down to the
street vendors from handling such pub
I lcation at all.
Protest Made by Norris.
This situation was called to the at
tention Of the Senate by Senator Nor
ris. Republican.
This is a desperate attempt 10 put
the newspa pers out OF business" said
Senator Norris Under this provision
the Postmaster-General absolutely can
put ont of business every newspaper In
the United States. He could exclude
from the mails every paper that does
not meet with his approval. and them
under this provision, it will be unlawful
for any one to distribute them by auto
mobile. express or even hand delivery
It would result In the coercion OF every
newspaper in tho land
Senator Cummins, Republican. con-
demned the action of the conferees in ac-
cepting mas,er-Ccneral Rurlesons
dctation last Friday and writing the
dangerous phraseology into the bill. He
insisted that II was a piece OF assump-
! tion on the part of the conferees to ac-
cept such eXtraneous matter as this
without either house having had 4
chance to review II.
"The whole question is" said Senator
Cummins, "who Is 1t that will determine
whether the publications are treason
able or seditious? The effort in this Sec
ton seems to he to prevent a trial.
Conviction Before Trial.
81 am not in favor Of making an inno-
cent man a criminal before his trial An