The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1917-05-23
WILSON INSISTS
ON CENSORSHIP
Announces Stand After House
Republicans Decide to
Fight 1t.

WASHINGTON. May "a decision by
House Republicans IN caucus to-day to
oppose any newspaper censorship pro-
vision in the pending espionage bill was
followed by n letter from President Will
son TO Chairman Webb Of the Judiciary
Committee reiterating that 1t was Inn
perative that Congress grant censorship
pcwers :, deal witt The few per. ons wao
cannot be relied upon to observe "a
patriotic reticense about every thing
whose publication could be OF injury"
81 have been very much surprised"
wrote the President. "to find several OF
the public prints stating that the Admin
istration had abandoned the position
which 1t so distinctly took. and still
holds, that authority to exercise censor
ship over the press to the extent that
that censorship Is embodied in the re-
cent action OF the House Of Representa-
tives is absolutely necessary to the pub
lie safety. II. Of course has not been
abandoned. because the reasons still ex-
list why such authority is necessary for
the protection OF the nation.
Cannot Rely on some Persons.
II have every confidence that the
great majority Of the newspapers Of the
country will observe patriotic reti'
cence about every thing whose publication
could he OF Injury. hut In every country
there are some persons In position to
a.. aAtA hn nnf n
relied upon and whose Interests or de-
sIres VIII lead to actions on their part
highly dangerous to the nation In the
I midst of war. ] want to say again that
/ Il seems to me imperative that powers
J Of this sort should he granted"
The House espionage bin carried a
! censorship provision, but the one by the
! Senate did not, and this was one of the
| differences which sent the measure &c
conference. where II has been discussed
! for more than a week without an agree
ment The Presidents letter caused
| some surprise because many members oi
Congress and some Administrations 'lead-
ers had understood for several days that
no further attempt was to be made a.
present to put through any such provi-
| sion
REPRESENTATIVE Webb announced upon
recent Of the Presidents letter that he
would wage determined fight In behalf
of the Gard censorship amendment, writ
ten into the bill in the House by mar
row margin. just before II was sent tc
conference.
Defeat Is Predicted.
Republican leaders. however. predicted
the defeat OF the Gard censorship provi
sion In the espionage bill following thu
1 a1OntiOn nv the Re
publican conference this morning OF th'
Mccormick resolution committing thu
marty against any censorship at TIM
time The operation Of this plan woult
be to support a motion to recommit tn
bill to the conferees with instructions t
strike out the censorship provision In tn
event that the House conferees prevail
and secure retention of the Gard amend
ment.
Republican leaders announced afte
the conference that they would he abb
to obtain sufficient strength from th
Democratic side TO insure this action II
the House. As the Senate is fixed Il
its opposition to any censorship provi
sion such action by the House woul
end the matter.
Republicans, however will not be FIRE
| 10 oppose any censorship provision III
conferees may write. Many Republi
cans by their vote on the McCormic
substitute proposal when the bill wa
: before the House are committed TO
censorship provision. which will regulat
only information about the movemer
of troops or vessels or projected mill
, tary operations
Following the conference to-day
, became known that Minority Leade
j, Mann has agreed to name a Republica
> steering committee OF four members an
= himself within few days. There
, virtual agreement, at least among II
leaders Of various well defined element
in the party. that Representatives Gi
!, lette, Massachusetts, Lenroot. Wiscoi
= sin. and Moore of Pennsylvania shoul
% - an tho committed