The menace. [volume] (Aurora, Mo.) 1911-1920, 1917-06-02
Attention Of Nations Head Also Called to Fact that Congress in Less
Strenuous Times Refused toIMe Postmaster General With Bureaucratic
Power and Shows by Watson Case That One Feature of Espionage Bill
Would Give Rome Her Perfect Chance

dent, that each and all these schenes,
which IVolIId do violence to tho press,
and to the people Vho depend upon
tho printed page for accessory IN
formation, have already been consid-
cred and REPUDIATED BY. CON-
GRESS IN TIMES OF LESS
EXCITEMENT AND PRESSURE.
Congress has repeatedly refused to
make burcaucrat Of the postmastar-
genera, as your bill now demands.
Congress has heretofore refused 70
enact the so-called zone system Of
levying increased postage upon news
papers. It seams that the autocratic
interests are taking advantage Of the
confusion incident TO- preparation for
war 10 overthrow as much al prac-
tcsble Of our own democracy while
prOfessedly preparing TO defend it.
And the very height Of anti-Amer-
lean antagonism to the reasonable
rights of citizens Is reached In the
fourth section Of the bill inspired. or
desired, 30 we are informed, by the
postmaster-general and prepared by
the attorney-general, in which it is
proposed that any person. guilty Of
sending matter through the mails
that the postmaster general may hold
Objectionable, may be tried and pun
ished In the district in which the mat
ter may be mailed or IN ANY DIS
TRICT INTO WHICH 1T MAY. BE
CARRIED.
An Appalling Provision
! We are not 20 stupid as 10 miss
the full force and meaning of that
provision, Mr.. President We cxnnot
believe that you are identified with
this part Of the assault upon press
and publishers; for 1t bears all the
marks of those who recently tried to
drag the Hon. Thos. E. Watson of
Georgia from his home district to be
tried in hostile community and hos
tile court on a trumped-up charge Of
violating the existing postal laws.
This proposed law would legalize
the arrest and removal Of a publisher
to any district to which the mail
might carry his publication and per
NIT his trial there among hostile
strangers. II this becomes q law
! there viii be high carnival among the
. pope's inquiaitors who plan the dc,
|. struction Of the press, the editors and
! the patriots who are agGressively
. combating Rome's war on Fmda-
mental Democracy. A Knight Of Co
|. lumbus district attorney and Knights
: Of Columbus postal inspectors could
a frame up charges against editors Of
publications Questionable to the Ro
man Catholic hierarchy and present
y the same to q United States grant
y jury largely composed Of their hench
. men and secure an indictment, Th'
: defendant could then be dragged from
= his home district before Knight o
s Columbus judge, where his conviction
: would be a certainty.
y This Is q law desired by the papa
r system above all other interests, Nj
70 President. You may not care; but we
being interested parties, are 30 pro
:, foundly concerned that we must reg
Q lister this protest, and We must con
It tinue to protest against all this IN
f American, anti-American, and ofte
a repudiated line Of attempted legisla
,s ton against freedom of speech and o
"a the press.
- With reference to war, we must bt
: lieve that It's successful prosecutio
10 consists in finding and destroying Ii
l. enemy-AND NOT IN DESTROY
If ING THE SAFEGUARDS o
Is AMERICAN LIBERTY AND CIT
It IZENSHIP.
i'd Respectfully,
S. THE FREn PREss DEFENSE LEAGu
j. BY B. o. Flower, Presidm