Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-05-05
SPY BILL MODIFIED
IN BOTH BRANCHES
House Passes Measure With
Original Censorship Provi-
sion Greatly Altered.
DEFEAT FOR ADMINISTRATION
Senate Changes Export Embargo
Amendment by Restricting
Presidents Authority.
DEFEAT FOR ADMINISTRATION
fBy Associated Prers.1

WASHINGTCN. May i.-Thc espion-
age bill was passed by the House late
tonight with modified censorship
provision. after administration leaders
had lost an insistent fight for reten-
tion Of the original section aimed at
the publication of news OF value to
the enemy. The final vote was 260 to
1O5.
Consideration OF n similar measure
continued I'm the Senate during the day,
and there. too, the administration suf-
fered a defeat An export embargo
amendment. about which tho fight in
the Senate had centercd, was modified
so as to substitute for the general au-
thority proposed. a provision to en-
power the President to restrict exports
in specific cases when American goods
were reaching the enemy.
In the House the entire administra-
t!on censorship section was rejected,
22o TO ls7, despite pleas of Represen-
,ativc webb. chairman of the Judiciary
Committee. that President Wilson had
sent him word that the authority
sought was absolutely necessary"
Later a new section. drawn by Repre-
sentative Gard, of Ohio. was adopted.
100 to 1S5. 1t would permit tho Pres
ident to prohibit publication of news
regarding the national defense, but
would provide specifically for jury
trial for offenders, and make convic-
tion dependent upon proof that matter
published was of character useful to
an enemy
CHARGE OF TRICKE1Y
IS MADE IN HOUSE
Representative Graham. of Penn
sylvania. and others charged that
trickery had been practiced. because
the Gard amendment was offered and
acted upon after some members on
posed 10 any sort of censorship had
LETT the House with the understanding
that there would be no further voting
on the section. They were threatening
Tonight to carry their fight to con-
ference IL possible.
The new section follows:
During any national emergency re-
sulting from war in which the United
states is party, or from imminence
OF such war. the publication. wilIfully
ana without proper authority, Of any
information relating to the national
defense that Is or may he 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 hereby
authorized from time to time by proc
lamation to declare the character 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 in
formation 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 $4,000
or by Imprisonment for not more than
ten years. or both"
CLARK AND MANN
VOTE TO STRIKE OFT
Speaker Clark. Republican Leader
Mann, Representative Kahn, OF Cali
fornia. and Representative Sherley, Of
Kentucky. were among those who voted
10 strike out the section. Democratic
Leader Kitchin voted to retain it,
That the bill could not he finally dis
posed of in the Senate before next week
was announced just before adjournment
Tonight by Senator Overman To-
morrow the Senate will consider
the mail censorship section. and
another vote will be had. probably
next week on the press censorship
provision tentatively approved
The substitute embargo clause
agreed to in the Senate by vote in
which partisan lines were eliminated.
reads:
When. during the pending war, the
President shall find that exports to
particular country are being used, di-
rectly or indirectly. to supply an enemy
country, and shall make proclamation
thereof. IL shall be unlawful to ex-
port any article or articles from the