The weekly tribune and the Cape County herald. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1914-1918, 1917-10-12
CENSORSHIP OF
PRESS ASSAILED
BY LA TOILETTE
Wisconsin Senator Answers
Charges Brought Against
ASKS THAT US. DEFINE
WAR POLICY AND AIMS
Country Entered War in Great
Confusion and With Haste,
Senator Asserts.

Washington, D. c., Oct. 6. In most
bitter terms Senator R. VI. LaFollette,
who has been charged with making Sc
ditious utterances land whose expui-
sion from the Senate has been asked
by petitions sent to Vice-Preside,rt
Marshall, assaulted his colleagues ard
the entire war party this afternoon
throwing down the gauge of battle to
all who demand his custer. The Wis
consin Senator defended his speech
made before the Nonpartisan League
at St. Paul, two weeks ago.
Demanding statement as to the
aims of the United States in this Wa,
Senator La Toilette continued to at
tack the war party, charging its men,
bers with attempts to intimidate me,n-
bers of Congress, both of the Senate
and House of Representatives Free
press, eliminated in the United States
by the Espionage Act were demanded
restored by the Senator who declarad
the act was pressed through Congress
while its members were intimidated by
leaders Of the wa rparty.
Defending his couse of opposing
the declaration of war and subsequent
attacks on war policies, La Toilette de-
clarde:
at is the citizens duty to obey the
law until it is repealed or declared Ill
institutional. But he has the inalien-
able right to fight what he deems 3n
obnoxious law or a wrongful policy IN
the courts and at the ballot box.
at is the suppressed emotion of the
masses that breeds revolution. If .lie
Amrican people are to carry on this
great war, if public opinion is to BE-
enlightened and intelligent, there mus.
be free dicussion.
Congress las we'll as the people of
the United States, entered the war in
great confusion of mind and under few
erish excitement. The president S
leadership was followed unquestion-
ingly in the faith that he had some
big unrevealed plan by which peac o
would exalt him before all the world
would soon be achieved.
Gradually, reluctantly, Congress and
the country are beginning to prece;ve
that We are in this terrific world con-
f1ict not only to right our wrongs,
not onlv to aid the allies, not only &c
share its awful death toll and its
fearful tax burdens, but perhaps %
bear the brunt of the war"
While it was true that the war must
be gone through with, he said, it was
not true that eve must go through
to the end to accomplish an undis-
closed purpose to reach an unknown
goal"
"Shall we ask the people to shut
their eyes and take theentire war pro-
gam on faith ?" he asked. "The way
to paralyze the German arm is to de-
clare our objects in this war, and
show that we are not seeking to dee
tate form of government to Germany
or to render England's domination of
the seas more secure. When the o.
Jects OF this war are clerly stated and
the people approve they will give
popular support it will never otherwise
receive"
AS he proceeded, La Toilette grad
ually drew toward his customary fire
of delivery, gesturing with clinched
fist as he referred to free speech and
raising his voice at times with enc
tional emphasis. Frequently he wipel
the perspiration from his hands an!
face; occasionally he stepped from his
desk into the center aisle. threw baci.
his head and declared his constitution
al right for freedom of discussion of
public questions.
Nowhere in his remarks did Senator
La Toilette refer to the much-dis-
cussed st. Paul speech which resulted
in the flood of petitions for his ex-
pulsion and which is to be investi-
gated by order of the Senate. THIS
course somewhat threw away the
plans of senators who were preparing
speeches in reply.
Honest dealing with our allies also
requires clear statement four or
lects," he declared. eff we do not ex-
oect to support them nthe dreams of
that fact should be stated,
and our people are entitled to know
hat vitality important fact before this
var proceeds further.
Constitutional authority of the presi-
dent to fix thes wars purpose he
Questioned by implication.
Contending it is the duty of Con-
'ress to define the purpose of the war