The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1917-05-03
Speaker Leaves Chair and Attacks
Censorship Section of the House
Espionage Bill; Not Constitu-
tional, Claim
EDITORS NOT ANGELS,
ACCORDING TO CHAMP
They SANDER and Abuse People,
and Even Lie About Them, but
This Is No Reason Why Screws
Should be Applied TO Them.


ny Associated Press
Washington. May 3--Speakcr Clark
left the chair today to open the fight
to strike out the censorship section of
the house espionage bill as proposed
by Representative Graham Of Penn
sylyunia. The speaker declared tho
section was i'm direct violation of the
constitutional guarantee Of fire.
speech aud II free press.
The speaker read from the first
amendment to the constitution which
declares that congress shall not
abridge the right OF religious liberty
free speech or free press. ana desig-
mated IL the most important part OF
the constitution
believe the press censorship pro-
posed here Is In frank violation Of tho
constitution" he said. The fact that
cditors slander people. abuse them
like pickpockets ana lie about them
for doing their plain duty--and In the
last ten days I received "a much ~
that as anybody will not make me
vote for what don't believe is con-
stitutionai
II was agreed tn debate the section
for forr hours \ final vote on the
Jill tonight appeared unlikely.
Republican Leader Mann followed
Mr. CLARK with the announcement that
nc would vote 60 strike ont the entire
censorship section. In a brief address
he urged the necessity Of giving tho
greatest possible publicity To all events
connected with the war.
Senator Shields said he had opposed
cmDargoing food experts bat now be.
lieved II necessary because "of pres
cnt outrageous prices and the great
distress in the country
Upon suggestion of senator Lodge
the bill was amended limiting rs
scope, As amended IL would author
ilc the president 90 embargo exports
only when required by public safety.
The latter provision. senator Lrdgn
objected would give the prosiden,
power 10 deal with purely domestic In
dustry without relation TO the wars
prosecution. Another amendment
eliminated authority to discriminate
between ports In the ordering Of em-
bnrgocs.
II don't think this country is in any
danger of starvation said senator
Lodge. but the situation as to the al
lies is vastly different II will not
help us To- win the war bv emhnrgoing
food ana thus preventing feeding OF
the armies fighting our battles
senator Stone characterized the cold
storage system as now carried on IN
this country as public evil
J senator Reed ot Missouri opposed
the embargo because he feared restric-
tions upon exports might cause pro-
ducers to curtnil their crops aud also
because he believed expert restrie'
tions were the function of congress
ana not the president
Representative Kahn 81 california
urgently Insisted upon giving the
press fullest liberty m dealing with
ncNs. President Wilson as AN adyo-
cate 81 "pit!loss publicity he said.
surely could have no sympathy with
! a muzzIiup measure.
Taking our cue from him. Mr.
Kahn concluded amid applause. u
therefore believe it our duty 20 the
American press to credit them with
motives as highly patriotic as our
own and treat them ns frsrnds and NOT
ds criminals 10 hc Gcoii with on the
same plano as secret muigucrs, con-
sp.rntprs. platters and spics"
Representative Walsh uf Mass
auhusetts Also spoke ng1.n-t the cen
sur-hIp section.