The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-05-06
HOT FIGHT WAeEO ON
CENSORSHIP BILL
Provision Permitting Arbitrary Bar
ring OF Newspapers Prom Mails
Is Warmly Debated.
PATRIOTISM OF PRESS
is STRONGLY UPHELD
Right to Print All News Declared to
Be acknowledgements Of Inefiici-
cncy In British Administration
Shown to Have Been Due to Press.


Shown to Have Been Due to Press.
Washington. May 5.--The final vote
on the much discussed censorship
section OF the administration espion-
age. and probably on the entire bill
as well, will be taken by the senate
early next week. This became ap-
parent tonight, following discussion
OF another feature of the censorship
measure on the senate floor. The de-
bate today was chiefly concerning the
search warrant section. permitting
the searching OF homes OF persons
suspected of circulating prohibited
Information, and the section which
would give the postmaster-ge general
authority to bar from the mails all
newspapers. letters and pamphlets
containing information that the presi-
dent might forbid to be circulated.
Far-reaching notifications il not
complete defeat, was certain TO be
made in these provisions.
Senators Hiram johnson. Of Cali
fornis, and Cummins, OF Iowa. hotly
contested the right of congress to
enact these provisions.
Senator Thomas Of Colorado. de-
nourced the provf44on to permit the
10 bdf papers al q
letters from the malls in an arbitrary
fashion as being "the worst engine of
iniquity that the wit of man could
devise"
I'VE had better regulate what can
be printed than TO bar from the mails
all letters. newspapers. and other
printed Or written matter that con-
tanned information the governments
did not want printed" he said
Open Mall of Suspected Persons.
1.-THE mail OF every suspected man,
woman and child 0f the children
were to fall under the ban) would
inspectors. The scheme is mon
strous"
There would be overzealous inspec-
tors, who would seek diligently to
turn up as much prohibited matter as
possible in the belief that by so doing
he would he gaining favor In the eyes
of the men higher up. This provision
would not only make the writer's OF
/ letters suffer, but their families and
/ friends also, 1t would be SO far
| reaching that it would be disastrous.
"But far better were it that we
have this provision affecting the pri-
waite correspondence of American citi-
zens than that we should have the
latter would throw our whole life out
OF organization and would work such
harm that It's extent could not be esti-
mated"
Senator Thomas charged the ad-
ministration was gradually gathering
together the powers of national dicta-
tor
There has beea-a great deal OF
legislation lately that would confer
unlimited powers upon the president
he continued. "A great part of this
war time legislation does this. 1t is
indisputabIe that the president is
gradually asking for and being given
the power to run this government
about as he pleases."
Mistakes Might Remain UnCOrrectesi.
Senator William A. Calder, of New
York, late today declared that with
the press of America censored the
failures of the government during the
war might remain uncorrected until
defeat stared the United States in the
face. II do not think It can be main
tanned that the members sof either
the senate or the house of represen-
tatives have failed during the present
situation to stand by the president
he said 1--WE have voted for a decla-
ration that a state of war existed al
most unanimously; we have voted
unanimously TO permit the president
to issue $1,000. 900, 600 worth Of bonds
and other securities: we have voted
almost unanimously to authorize him
to raise an army by 'selective draft
and many of the senators voted for
this simply because the president
wanted it.
1.-The claim made in this chamber
that the president is favorable to this
particular provision il not suffice MT
reason to warrant my voting for it.
II am not ready to prevent the in
dependent press of this country from
printing all the news of the day. l
believe that they can be trusted not
to publish anything that would be of
aid or comfort to the enemy. In every
war this nation has ever been engaged
in one OF the greatest pillars of
strength has been the press.
Have those in charge OF this bill
any idea that congress would have
acted with such unanimity during the
past few weeks II the president did
not have united press behind him i?
Do they believe in the days to come
we can hope TO succeed in this con-
fiict unless the press OF the country
stands strongly behind him?
How 1t worked In England.
ut Is a matter OF common knowl-
edge that but for the exposure bv the
English press Of the inefifciency OF
those in charge of the British govern
ment in the early days OF the war.
conditions might have continued
there which would haye I'D - ulti-
ecsntiaues On 49, ysss,.