The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-05-10
DECRY NEWS GAG
LanSing's "Invisible Govern.
ment" Is Attacked.
Will Not Tolerate 1t, Says
Campbell of Kansas.

Washington, May 10.-The auto
cratic news gag proposed by Secre-
| tary Lansing to shut off discussion
and criticism of this country's war
policy met with violent denunciatlon
in ali government quarters TO-DAY
Congress has about reached the
breaking point on the censorship
question. The subject is like 1lre
brand in both house and senate chan
bers. Today, while representatives
aired their views privately, senators
took the floor and ripped into socali-
ed invisible government e1torts 10
throttle the freedom of the press and
attempts to bottle up news of the gov
ernment'S activities and keep the Teo-
Lie in the dark as to developments IN
the war.
After two days iegislating behind
closed doors, during which time neat
ed demands were made by many sen
atorS to end the executive session ahc
get out in the open, the senate loudS
began discussion of the mails ana
censorship sections of the admlnlstra-
ton espionage bill
Announcement by Secretary Lans-
ing that he is to be virtually the
news dictator of the foreign pollcy
of the government only famed the
fires at the capitol.
I'VE would not and will not toll
crate any proposition that restricts
| comment or criticism during TINS
war; said Representative Campbell
Kansas.
Il am opposed to any plan by the
government which will not permit the
press to tell all that is going on, SAID
Senator Vardaman. Mississippi.
I'VE have come to the point where
we must distinguish Immediately and
carefully between prudent report OF
affairs affecting foreign relations ana
| an abridgement of our highly treasur-
Cd of
tor Harding, Ohio.
! Congress will insist on safeguard
| ing the press.
| Representative Mondell, Wyoming,
/ commenting on the new Lansing or
der. said: It's fine for officials IKE
Secretary Lansing to say that the gag
! section in the spy bill is not intended
to prevent or punish criticism or the
government and then turn around and
show plainly that certain officials at
! least do not expect to be bound by
such limit
Can't Suppress Criticism
"Gagging free speech and honest
criticism means growth of grave
abuses which war and enormous ex-
penditures breed"
Its all right to guard the nation
against publication of information
| that might help the enemy, but we
can't and won't permit the clamping
down of a censorship on defects. the
remedying of which is of vital impor-
lance to the country" Representative
Farr. Pennsylvania, said. We can't
crush an autocracy." Senator Johnson,
| California, said. IF we build up one
worse than that we are after
On the face of the overwhelming
storm of criticism against the new
Lansing ruling there were evidences of
| a slight relaxation in the order at the
state department today. 1t is now adj
| mitted by Lansing the ironclad lid on
news may be tilted if it does not prove
| a success.
The state department modified its
rules today to the extent of allowing
newspaper men to see bureau chiefs.
provided the publicity bureau could
not answer queries and would give the
permission This system. however, al
lows the department to keep absolute
tab on what the under chieftain says.
and hence there is no freedom of
speech in that.
The department defends its secret
diplomacy and general secretiveness
partly on the ground that eff we prac-
tice open door diplomacy, other ma
tons will stop giving confidential mat
ter to this government" Some com
plants have come from abroad in the
past year that confidential messag es
have become public property.