The menace. [volume] (Aurora, Mo.) 1911-1920, 1917-06-02

which we lose our ludgment, inst We bAyeA1l
protect these fundamentals Of demseraey:
We followed our president In his desire
fer a declaration Of warI we followed nun
when he asked fer the appropriation OF
81 zoe, 600 900, and We appropriated WIN
fewer restrictions than q municipality or
county Of q state would appropriate any p0r-
ton Of its revenues; We followed aim Wasn
he asked Of us that for the hrst time m the
history Of the AnSls-SaxOn race, We conscriPt
NJ ths berinninr Of the war; that We taxa
eur youth By eonscripti0n TO aght the war.
win fellow him. and I have NO dsuet thss
ether msmberu on this side OF the ehampsx
win fellow him, In the future In eonseItDtdn9
not emily the bleed Of the nation but IL re-
sources and its wealth; but insist that We
Should not fellow anybody tnts suteeraey.
- We shsuld follsw nsns IN The dassrue-
tiou Of the very fundamentals sf asBaoernsy.
the very pillars upon which this EOvsrzmsnt
Of ours rests.
When you leave to the uncertain dstsrnin-
alton Of any man overnight the power 70
write q new criminal code, whsn yoa give
to any individual the power by rules ans ~
regulations to define penal oGsnsea ~ no may
see ct to define them, then yeu do The ygrJ
thing we inyeixh against. You make this
hours virtue the next hours crime.
| II (censorship) puts q premium upen the
false publication; Ii makes n crime Of the
truth; and that Is exactly what I insist h
the very purpose Of this law. The very pur-
pose Of It IL to render impossible legitimate
criticism by word Of mouth or otherwise OF
those who may lead during this war.-Ssnator
Johnson Of California, Cong. Rec, May H.
page 221A.
BoRAH OF IDAHO
No law has ever been passed in this country
attempting to interfere with the freedom OF
the press or free speech that has been sue
esssful along the line which those who e.
tablinhed Il supposed would be successful.
Let me call your attention to later period
When the war came IN Europe they estahlished
Q censership--an almost universal censorshiT
IN England-for the purpose Of protecting
and eoncealinE the movements Of their tro0pI
and the action Of the government with refer
enee to military Affairs. They have had I
there ever since. l challenge any senator
upon this floor to find 4 single expression from
any disinterested party In eommendation ol
that cenBorship or Of the advantage which !
has been to the government. It u almos
, universally condemned a. q failure; and no
. only that. bat a. eoneealing facts and pre-
. venting the public from getting hold Of fact
which It was essential fer the public to have
!. Senator BOrah Of Idaho, May II. Gang. Rec.
page 22S4.
, UNDERWOOD OF ALABAMA
. We should sustain the hands Of the presi
8 dent Of the United States in every way thA
: Is required In conducting this war abroad
Give him men and give him money, but
should be conducted for the American peopl,
II the American people were not In fave
Of war, then we ~ their representatives mad
: mistake In voting for It. ! believe II
. verdict Of congress was sustained By th
Il American people, bat also believe II Ii
u day should eeme when the American peopl
desire to know the facts and on those fact
ka-A L. "a ia. 4.
4. clare peace, no censor gag OF the America
!, press should keep the peopls of this eountr
|. from having . clear understanding a. 10 u
= conditions here and abroad. ssss
In my Judgment there b no nscsssii
Z whatever for the enactment Of this (csnso
III ship) law today, and n Il Il not nseessar
= u existing conditions do not require lie el
aetmsnt into law today. then It should
stricken out Of the bill. The tin
may come In tho republic before this war
ever when Il may bs necessary that the lin
light Of publicity shall throw the real fac
before the nation In order that proper publ
sentiment may be formed.--Senator Unde
g wood Of Alabama, May IL. Cong. Rec, pal
. 22So.
q We are we'll aware, Mr.. Presiden
o that this proposed muzzling Of th
d press is urged as a war measure; br
there Is a reasonable difference {
70 opinion as to whether it Is a measul
70 Of war against the nations enemi'
:, or against the nations friend, Il
= = press. We are driven to the latt,
N conclusion from the fact that Il
ts newspapers and periodicals of the n
at tion are further assailed by means
a proposed drastic postal rate that
We largely prohibitive and would resu
le In the ruin Of many publishers al
ne the annihilation Of their publication
T We would remind you, Mr.. Pre-