Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1917-05-19
BY ARTHUR W. DUNN.


Nothing brings home to our people ia
such All emphatic manner that they are
really engaged in great war az the
legislation which has been proposed
aud enacted since the special session
of congress began.
Without the stress OF war conditions
the eonscription bin could not have
passed either house OF congress No
one would have thought OF passing any
such measure as the espionage bin
The Importance OF that legislation was
shown I'm the fact thnt some provi-
sions had to he considered behind
closed doors On account OF the effect
That u public discussion might have
had upon our foreign relations
or course the main contention In the
espionage bin revoved around the cen
sorship provision. because many men
considered II unconstitutional MS an
abrldgmeut Of the freedom OF the
press aud free speech. they also fear
I'd that 1t might be used 10 he detri.
ment OF the country and Ia prevent
such comment and consideration in the
conduct OF the war as to keep the reo-
pie Ia the dark az to what Is actually
occurring both at home and abroad
Control Of tho Mails.
One section OF this bin attracted con.
siderable attention This gave the post.
master general authority 10 deny to
any person. concern. association or
company the use Of the mails for the
dissemination OF matter which might
be declared noumailablc. senator
Thomas of Colorado, one of the prom
ineut Democrats Of the senate in com
mentIng upon this section said that If
il was adopted aud he was made post
master general he would take con
tract TO make the freedom OF the press
"A hyword and "a sneer, will give
bond, he went on 10 say to build up
ar ruin any business man In the United
states. | will make 1t one of the great
est engines OF tyranny and arbitrary
power that can he devised by the wit
" man
or course Il is not expected that Sen
ator Thomas would do anything OF that
Kind. but what he meant was that he
would have the power % do So. and he
was protesting against lodging in the
hands OF any one man the power which
was granted la the section
What Few People Can Do.
The censorship provision and the see
ton relating 10 controlling the mails
has been thought necessary OH account
or the activities Of few p,,ople in the
uitrd States These are The miSg1id
Ed men Who have allowed their Sym
pathies aud activities in favor OF Ger.
many aud Austria 60 outSlup their
Judgment They have taken advantage
~ the free institutions Of this repuh
Itc 10 carry on propaganda To uiure
the allies and help Germans 20 Sueh
an extent thar our 9TH, als rcel that
they need legislation a. curb them and
Ia prey eut Suth activities in the fu4re
Possibly all thlS legislation would be,
less objectionable II il should IL, limit
ed 10 the duration az the War and bt
come uull and bid when war closed
Secrecy Abs4t Foreign Missions
y tN rue llu o. tA inc 8EtlN At Nf IUp
british mission at the ulou station in
Washington there VAS n5 public men
lion concerning them which rc.ated 10
the time ~ the arrival the route they
TOOK nor anything Watch would give
the people IA mixing ot their prosgts,
through this country 60 Tie national
es!,tat The same IS true ia REGARD ta
the French mission uugu after TIE ~
rival n the MsydoWer at thr NAVY
wand ia Washington
IL was Surmi>ed that sttscks migh
he made rpou these distinguished lis
itovS but the visitors themselves have
hot shown ANY fear since their arrival
They went a1out Washington with
only the uSuR! precautions. AID the
French mission made tour az tle
country without auy unusual guard
The British commissioners went from
place 70 place visiting points Ia aua
about Washington. aid so far as We
could see here they did not etpe-t thai
fhsy would lee attacked.