Perth Amboy evening news., 1917-04-17

| With the entry of the United states
into the great world war. demand for
ispace for news viii be mandatory.
The national welfare demands that
the newspapers shall not be handi-
Icapped In their task of giving to the
people the full record OF the part
being played by the nations ferces In
the great war. To assert that news
papers may efrectua1ly serve the pub
lie interests when compelled to re-
strict their space for news and text
matter to THIRTY per cent. of their
total space is to utter sheer nonsense.
| Yet that lis what Is demanded In
order to meet the situation created
by the paper manufacturers and
which the Federal Trade .Commis-
sion, which knows of the wrong, has
no power 10 remedy. The solution
here Is for congress to give to the
Federal Trade Commission more
power. With the authority to COM
tht RdPCI 70
speed up and cease creating an "arti-
flcial shortage" tho papers would be
able to give the people the service
they have right to expect Mt this
time.
AS for the espionage bill, it is
measure introduced In congress for
the purpose of keeping secret the
operations of the military forces SO
that information that might be of
value to tho enemy cannot reach
them. 1t also provides for heavy
punishment for spies and others
found guilty OF scheming or plotting
against this government. The idea
of the bill Is excellent; with the prin-
ciples involved everyone Will agree.
But In order to prevent the enemy
gaining useful information is no rea-
son why we should out Prussian the
Prussians
The espionage bill as now drawn
places unlimited powers in tho Off.
cials at Washington so that news
paper OF private individual may be
severely punished for even daring to
offer honest criticism or any course
that the government might pursue.
II 1t rs true what President Wilson
has said, and we believe the great
majority will agree, that tho infiu-
ence OF free press is among tho
factors essential to the life of
democracy, then what are we 10.
think of congress that would de-
! liberately take AWAY the freedom of
the press? The evils of concealed
intrigue In autocratic governments,
the President says. ''are happily i'm
possible where public opinion COM
mands and insists upon fuIl informa-
tion concerning all the nations af-
fairs" but IL congress lis to be per-
mitted to enact q law that places 1t |
entirely within the province of the |
officials whether they
shall be honestly criticized or not by
80 press or people, wherein DO we.
A marriage license has been issued
~, democracy. differ from the rule
Of an autooracy?
The press has proven itself upon |
all occasions to be absolutely loyal |
and patriotic. 1t began curtailing
the news that 1t deemed inadvisable
to print. and placed q censor over
itself even before the federal authori- 4
tics asked that 1t be done. The news
papers are, today. giving up valuable |
space--space that, with the present
cost of white paper. means an outlay |
of thousands OF dollars-to the army
and navy in an effort to boost enlist |
ments. The newspapers are giving |
this willingly, although the space
that is thus given away is the COM
modify that they have to sell, just as
powder and ammunitions are the
commodities that certain other man.
ufacturers have TO sell, yet you do
not hear of powder or muhltion man.
ufacturers giving the government
without charge their product. Ship
builders who are to serve the govern
ment are guaranteed ten per cent.
profit, and they are hailed as patriots
because they are willing to keep their
profits down to that figure, yet the
newspapers Of the land are expected
not only to give the space that they
have to sell, but must bear the ex-
pense or providing that space In the
bargain. When 1t comes to taxation.
the newspapers will pay their share
cheerfully in spite of tho fact that
they are giving their space while
others who ere supplying the govern
ment are being paid not only the cost
of production, but are allowed O SUBJ
stantial profit besides.
We call attention to this, not In
way OF complaint. but 10 prove that
the newspapers are just as liberal
and are as loyal In serving the gov-
ernment as any other concern, and
therefore can be entirely trusted to
work with the government In every
particular.
1t has been said that news a week
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