The Washington times., 1917-05-03
CENSORSHIP BILL Is
CENTER OF STORM
Intense Opposition Develops in
Both Senate and House.
Continued from First Page.)

~ I, were true that the pending bill
would establish a greater Limitation
on free speech than is now imposed
in England and Germany.
"No. 1 think not" said Mr.. Webb.
"There is no espionage law yet, and
there will be none until the President,
by solemn act, proclaims that certain
character of information would be
useful to the enemy and thereby tell
the newspapers not to publish it."
That the pending bill would hit the
small newspapers and individuals
more than the large newspapers was
fatty asserted by Congressman Nc
cormick, who said that the large pa
pers would publish information which
they thought the public should have.
Speaker Clark asked II the bill
would prevent the publication of facts
concerning an incompetent general
or another embalmed beef scandal"
Chairman Webb said that he did not
believe that the President would at
tempt such a stringent censorship as
that and that these things would not
be in the prohibited publication class.
Discussing the bill both as a pub
fisher and legislator, Congressman
Mccormick said:
Would Conceal Scandals.
'aThe bill is more drastic than that
reported by the Senate. We have al
| ready put many burdens upon the
President, and when we say that he
shall use his judgment to determine
what he shall put in his proclamation
we merely put 1t in the power OF those
" no first drafted the more drastic law
to write the regulations which the
President puts forth.
t1AN Nrnr
plies, ammunition, and foodstuffs for
the troops either here or across the
ocean might be defective or unsuited Ia
the needs of the soldiers, yet II seems
perfectly clear that publication OF the
facts might be forbidden under this
bill. am far more fearful. and "a
are many other members OF the
House, that the administration OF this
War and Navy Departments VIII
break down than that publication VIII
be made of information hurtful to the
military operations OF the United
States
"This bill will be law 1000 miles
and presumably thirty days from the
enemy's country, while Great Britain
is within from forty-eight to sixty
hours Of the enemy. The censor viii
control the cables and the wireless
stations, and material published In
this country would not be transmitted
directly to the enemy, except BY
leave Of the censor OF the cable and
J wireless stations.
big newspapers will not be affect
! ed by an air-tight censorship. They
will violate the law when they be-
J lieve they are right, and will hire big
STATS OF attorneys to defend them
selves. 1t is the individual and tbs
, small newspaper that will be affected
They cannot afford to tight. The pro-
, posed censorship would permit sup
preston of embalmed beef scandals
such as we had in the Spanish war
Opposition in Senate.
Strong opposition TO the drasti
censorship provisions OF the espionag
bill and to the efforts which soma o
the executive officials are making l.
gag the press, not only with respec
to army and navy news Of strategy
value to the enemy, but as to politica
! Information, has developed IN the Ser
ate.
Senator johnson of California CAV
. notice in the Senate today that whel
r the espionage bill was out OF Commit
I tee of the Whole and in the Senate h
would move to strike out the section
E Newspaper publishers all over tn
: country are aroused over the effort t
r impose a drastic censorship whicI
will put it into the hands OF bureau
r Gratis to close up newspaper .office
: and throw editors into jail or subjec
] them to heavy hnes.
1 1t Is pointed out that even in Ger
= many the newspapers are not prohit
e -ite6 from sharp criticism OF the go'
$ ernment. The evidence OF this Is tina
i many excerpts from German newsp'
e pers severely criticising governmer
e policies reach here.
:. Also. it is further pointed out. in Ems
land the effects OF the indiscriminat
censorship earlier in the war were baC
q, However, even the English censorshi
a did not prevent Lord Northcliffe froI
bitterly criticising government blundeI
and Encouragement Of the war.
:, The Senate went ahead with the cor
= sideration of the espionage bill today.