The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-09-12
Treason Defined.

Mr.. w. c.. Hammer, United States
attorney for the western district of
North Carolina, has favored The OBJ
server with an Interpretation by
Charles Stewart Dawson of the law of
treason, a subject upon which, con-
stantly recurring events would indi-
cate, some people are much in need
of enlightenment The law itself, as
contained i'm the constitution, is brief
The constitutional definition is that
treason against the United States
shall consist only in levying war
against them, or in adhering to their
enemies, giving them aid and COM
fort" 1t is also provided that CON
viction for treason must be on the tes-
timony Of at least two witnesses TO
the same overt act unless the charge
be confessed in open court. Dawson
holds that IAN expression Of opinion
is fully as much an act as a blow"
Mere words, however. approbative of
the enemy, do not necessarily consti-
tute treason. But it must be borne
in mind that the utterance, orally or
in writing, of words is an overt act,
and their utterance by a given indi-
vidual may constitute treason. Any
thing whereby the enemy will be
heartened in his conflict, encouraged
either to make further opposition, or
in the opposition he may be making
whereby the task Of the United States
is made the greater, or the longer, or
its warlike effort the more onerous--
would be embraced within the mean
ing of the phrase, comfort" For
knowingly to accomplish that result
in any manner or by any method Is
beyond peradventure, treason The ut
terance of either written or spoken
words is as much an over act as is
a deed. When a man gets into court
on the count of treason the test of
modern conditions will be applied in
determining whether the speaking or
writing may be reasonably deemed to
have afforded aid and comfort to the
enemy, to have encouraged his re-
sistance, to have heartened his ef-
forts.
While the constitution apparently
takes full care to guard the rights of
individuals, it is nevertheless quite a
serious matter to become tangled in
treason charges. In the words of Mr..
Dawson, it may be we'll for any one
who may desire to play dice with
death-to shave the confines Of eter-
nifty without cutting his own throat
through the blade of his wit slipping
an inch too far-to injure this coun-
try and yet not pay the penalty" to
be careful in not taking chances in
court with the law against treason.
Dawson appears to be looking but a
little way into the future when he
warns that there is sure to be a pop
Jlar demand for the execution Of trail
tors "as soon as the lives of our men
commence to be taken" He says
experience has shown that such a de-
nand arises in every country under
such circumstances being urged as a
matter of common prudence for the
protection of the land" and there is
no reason to expect an exception un-
der coming conditions. Wherefore,
Mr.. Dawson apprehends it may befalI
that 'all of the admirers of autoc-
racy may not be saved frop, the re-
suits Of what can not but lie desig.
mated their own criminal folly" So
far the hazard of treason has been
regarded only too lightly IN the Unit
ed States. The day may he coming
when a careless public will be brought
into different view of it Charlotte
Observer.