Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1917-09-24
FREEDOM NOT
LICENSE EVEN.
in SPEAKING
Liberty Of Nation Endanger.
ed by REASONABLE
Agitators.

Freedom Of speech is one of &the
vital issues Of today. The term,
freedom OF speech" has been in
terpreted in too many cases to mean
license to speak in such "a manner
as to endanger not only liberty OF
speech but liberty of action, and those
who have been most insistent for the
freedom of speech" that would per-
|mit,them to attack the government
without hindrance are those who
would do their utmost to hamper the
government in its efforts to perpetuate
liberty and freedom in the present
trail thought in, a vigorous sermon by
Rev. j. HarveysMoore at the Baptist
church Sunday evening. He said:
Freedom Of speech-that has cost
struggle and sacrifice and blood. It
has not always existed, nor does it
exist everywhere today. That we
possess it is because our fathers were
willing to pay for it with their ives.
1t issa priceless heritage and we
ought to- appreciate it and UNDER
stand it.
cit does not and cannot mean that
every man is entitled to say every
thing he wishes. We have freedom
of many kinds in this country, but
every kind of freedom is conditioned.
No man is free to do anything that
interferes with the rights of others or
Operates against the welfare of society.
For instance, WI say that in this coun-
yet a person is not allowed to cross
Third street diagonally at the corner
of DeMers venue
Robinson Crusoe alone on his desert
island is the only one known to his
tory who had absolute freedom, and
this freedom was cut in two when
Friday came to live with him.
This principle runs through every
line of action. 1t operates in the mat
ter Of speech. We ought to have
freedom to speak so long as this free
dom does not interfere with the rights
of others, but when our talk endang-
ers the lives of our fellow citizens or
imperils the general welfare, it is
worse than foolish to cry out Tor
freedom of speech. Freedom OF
speech is not. the only form of freedom
that is recious. There are other
freedoms still more valuable, and ii
freedom Of speech endangers these, il
must give way.
1.-THE men who are most blatant in
regard to freedom of speech say that
cCr government should have forbidden
men to travel on British ships. There
is consistency for you! Why is free
dom of speech so much more sacred
than freedom Of travel? They say
that we should have had a referendum
as to a declaration of war, although
the constitution gives congress the
power to declare wal and in the past
congress has declared war time and
again, and no referendum was evei
talked of or dreamed of before.
"The truth is that n talk In these
days which gives aid or comfort to ouI
enemies, which tends to encourage
them SO that they will proIong the wal
and kill OF u boys, is reason
able. Men who talk this wa are
traitors. To try to shield themselve.
under the specious cry of freedom o,
speech is rank hypocrisy. sss4
What has this to do with religion.
1t has a great deal to do with it,d4Al
departments of life are inter-related
The aim of the church is to bring int
the world the kingdom of God. The
aim of craftsmanship lis to bring int
existence a perfect democracy. But {
perfect democracy would be the king
dom of God. The aims are practically
Identical Each must help the other
The church is interested in anythint
that makes for human weIl-being ant
advances the good Of the race.