The Washington times., 1917-10-06

ISDEFIANT IN
LONG SPEECH
TO SENATORS
tContinued from First Page)

ANOAn AIsN o.
Of which any man can be guilty
treason and disloyalty, and, sir, Gc-
cused not only with no evidence to
support the accusation, but without
the suggestion that such evidence
anywhere exists.
'It is not claimed that the Senators
who opposed the declaration OF war
have since that time acted with any
concerted purpose. They have voted
according to their individual opinion,
have often been opposed to each
other, and according to my recollec-
tion, have never all voted together
since that time upon any single
proposition.
"It I alone had been made the
victim OF these attacks, / should not
take one moment OF the Senate's time
for their consideration, and 1 believe
that other Senators who have been
unjustly and unfairly Assailed hold
the same attitude as I do.
Silence Demanded Of All.
But it is not alone members Of
Congress the war party in this coun-
try has sought to ihtimidate. The
mandate has gene forth to the sover-
Oign people of this country that they
must be silent while those things are
being done by their Government
which most vitality concern their well
being. their happiness, and their
lives.
Today and for weeks past, honest
and law-abiding citizens OF this
country are being terrorized and out
ragged in their rights by those sworn
to uphold the law and protect the
rights Of the people.
81 have in my possession numerous
affidavits establishing the fact that
people are being unlawfully arrested,
thrown into jail, held incommunicado
for days, only to be eventually re-
leased, without ever having been
taken into court, because they have
committed no crime.
Private residences are being in
vsded, loyal citizens OF undoubted in
tegrity and probity arrested, cross
examined. and the most sacred con-
stitutional rights guaranteed to every
American citizen are being continu-
, ally violated.
wOuId Create Terror.
1T appears to be the purpose of
those conducting this campaign to
throw the country into q state Of ter
ror, TO coerce public opinion, to stihe
criticism, and suppress discussion OF
the great issues involved in this war.
"I think all men recognize that in
time Of war the citizen must sur
render some rights for the public
good. But the right to control their
own government according 10 consti- |
tutionaf forms is not one of the rights |
that the citizens OF this country are |
called upon to surrender in time of |
war.
Rather in time Of war the citizen |
must be more alert to the preservation |
OF his right to control his govern
ment. He must be most watchful |
of the encroachment Of the military |
upon civil power. He must beware |
Of those precedentS in support Of arbi-
trary action by administrative Of |
dcIals, which, excused on the plea of |
necessity in war time, become the |
fixed rule when the necessity has
passed.
most InpOrtAnt QueEtiOn.r
More than all, the citizen in war
time must retain his right OF free |
speech. l believe am now touching !
upon the most important question in
the countTy-ths right OF the citizens
to discuss in an orderly way, pub
licly and frankly and without fear.
from the platform and through their
publications every important phase
of this war; its causes. the manner
in which it should be conducted, and
the terms upon which peace should
be made.
The belief which is becoming
widespread in this land, that this
most fundamental right is being de-