The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-04-21
CENSORSHIP FAVORED.
Senate Voted, 43 to SO, to Adopt Clause
in Espionage Bill

| Washington, April 2l.-The Senate
recorded itself yesterday in favor OF
| press censorship during the war A cen.
sorship of the administrations espionage
| bill, after decided modification, was re-
tanned in the bill by vote OF 43 to 49,
in which partisan division was disre-
garded. The vote came after three days
of sharp debate, and was regarded as
definitely forecasting final retention OF
the censorship provisions
Later the bill, still far from completed,
was laid aside indefinitely to permit con.
sideration OF the war army measure. The
House judiciary committee has completed
its draft of the espionage bill, also with
censorship clause, and viii report it
Monday. The provision as finally accept
ed by the Senate, follows:
Whoever, in time of war, in violation
Of reasonable regulations to be pre-
scribed by the president, which he is
hereby authorized to make and promul-
gate, shall publish any information with
respect TO the movement, numbers, de-
scription, condition or disposition Of any
of the armed forces, ships, aircraft, or
war materials OF the United States, or
with respect 10 the plans or conduct OF
any naval or military operations, or
with respect TO any works or measures
undertaken for or connected with, or in
tended for the fertilization or defense of
any place, or any other information re
lating TO the public defense calculated
to be useful to the enemy, shall be pun
ished by fine of not more than $4,000
or by imprisonment for not more than
ten years, or by both such fine and inn
prisonment, providing that nothing in
this section shall be construed to limit
or restrict, nor shall any regulation here
in provided for limit or restrict any dis
cussion, comment and criticism of the
acts or policies Of the government, or
its representatives or the publication of
the same"
Advocates of the provision admitted
that il would confer wide powers upon
the president to restrict publication of
matters both in the press or
by individuals. in speeches, or otherwise.
Its foes declared that it was unconsti
tutional and the most drastic curb upon
freedom OF speech and the press guaran
teed by the constitution ever proposed
during the nations entire history
Before the final vote the original com
mittee draft, much more sweeping and
drastic, was greatly modified. The COM
mittee proposed to prohibit not only the
publication Of military information ex
,ept under presidential regulations, but
also its collection, recording OF attempts |
10 elicit IT, Elimination OF these addi- |
Lional restrictions was agreed to by |
hose in charge OF the bill, and approved |
oy the Senate. Another change, upon an |
amendment Of Senator Hitchcock of Ne
braska, provided that the presidential |
regulations shall be reasonable.
A substitute for the whole clause, sub !
nitted by Senator Cummins of Iowa,
vas rejected by a vote of 40 to a. SEN
ltor Cummins. who insisted that the /
,lause retained was unconstitutional,
proposed that the president be author
zed TO prescribe regulations which would /
rot abridge freedom of speech or the /
,ress and prohibit publication of actual
military operations not including condi-
ion of the armed forces and other mat
ers.