The sun., 1917-05-25
SENATE SET
AGAINST GAG
FOrty-eight Still Ready to
Oppose Effort to Estab-
lish Censorship.
JOHNSON LEADS FIGHT
COnferees' Report Will Present
Modified Measure to Re-
strict Press.
JOHNSON LEADS FIGHT

WASHiSGToN, May 24.-lne reneWeo
pressure for the establishment Of a CEN
sorship In the United States which
within the last two days has been ex-
erted by the White House on members
OF Congress is having little or no effect
upon Senate opinion. Thus far no one
OF the forty-eight Senators who on May
Ia voted down the Overman amendment.
which included only in the smallest way
a provision for censorship Of the Ameri-
can press. has evidenced any change of
sentiment. In addition to this two Sena-
tors who were unavoidably absent when
the Overman amendment was downed--
Hitchcock. Nebraska. and Smith. Michi-
gan-returned to Washington to-day,
both announcing that they saw no occa-
sion for the institution of censorship and
the regulation Of editorial utterance in
America.
The conferees on the espionage bill will
resume sittings tomorrow with the ques-
tion OF search warrants still the topic
OF immediate discussion but with chances
favoring the immediate opening OF the
, fight on censorship.
Underwood In Opposition.
Senator Johnson, California, who led
the fight for the determination of all
censorship provision, believes that his
| lines will hold Arm. Senator Underwood
whose views on censorship have been
becoming more and more fixed In opposi-
ton to any sort of regulatory legislation
aimed at the press. said to-day that he
was still opposed to censorship. The
same is true of Senator Smith, South
f, Carolina, who voted mo" on the Over
man amendment. In spite OF the Execu.
tive pressure brought to bear upon the
Democrats thus far not even a wabbls
has betrayed itself in the ranks OF th'
majority party opposing the President.
plans in this respect.
1t is predicted that the conferees viii
agree promptly upon the export embargo
mail censorship. search warrant ant
other disputed sections Of the measure.
The conferees' report. with the new
censorship clause. will be presented t.
and voted on frst by the House. Tn
new provision. members Of the commit
) tee said tonight. will be along line
similar to the Overman -Cummins
Thomas proposals for limited Presi
Dental authority to prohibit publication
of information OF a strictly militar.
nature and not forbidding criticism o
public officials or policies The Presi
dent and House conferces are said TO b.
willing 10 accept such an authorizatio,
and to strike out the more drasti
amendment of Representative Gard. nov
in the House bill In addition. the sub
stitute proposing that jurics shall de
termine whether publication of prohib
tied matter was with deliberate intent 4
aid the enemy also may be accepted
The House conferees are insistent tina
such proviso. a part of tho Gar
amendment, shall be included.
Gregory supports Bill.
The new effort for censorship legisla
ton is being actively supported by AZ
, torney General Gregory. a memorandur
has been sent by the Department o
3 Justice to the conferees. stating that tn
Department Is not 10 be considered a
. having changed its belief that such au
thority is important and OF Nmmediav
necessity.
President Wilson has been told b
, some Senators with whom he has dis
, cussed the censorship situation that unit
, the appointment of George Creel as hea
, Of the bureau of public informatio
.. Congressional opposition TO CENSORSHIP
: was not so strong as at present. tn
President Is said to have expressed tu
confidence in Mr.. Creels ability and dis
o