Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-06-01
PRESS CENSORSHIP
REJECTED IN HOUSE
By Vote of 1874 to 144, Refuses
to Accept Even Modi-
fed Section.
URGED BY ADMINISTRATION
Leaders in Congress Do Not Ex-
pect Any Further Effort in
Immediate Future.
URGED BY ADMINISTRATION
tBy Associated prcs..l

BY Associated Prcss.1
WA5HINGTON, May 3l.-Thc admin
istration's fight for war censorship
OH newspapers was lost in Congress
to-day, at least for the present, when
the House refused by vote Of lSi to
Ai to accept even the modified CEN
sorship section written into the cspion-
age bill in conference AS the Senate
already il on record AS opposed 10 a
censorship. the leaders in Congress do
not expect any further administration
effort TO enact one in the imm cdiate e
future.
The test in the House came on d mo-
ton to recommit the espionage bill
with instructions that the censorship
regulation be eliminated. Despite Il
determined attempt of Democratic
managers to line up the party strcnst tn
behind President Wilson'S demand for
censorship, thirty-seven Democratic
Representatives joined the Republicans
voting for the motion. Eleven Repub-
Leans. disregarding their party's eau
cus decision. voted in the negative.
Conferces for the House will report
their instructions back to the Senate
confcrces tomorrow. and the bill.
shorn Of the censorship provision. prob
ably will be reported to both Senate
and House within few days. and
finally accepted. 1t carries important
notifications of the SPY laws. and au-
,horization for the President to lay
embargoes in war time. but most of the
controversy regarding il has centcred
about the censorship proposal
no COMMENT on OUTCOME
COMES FROM WHITE HOUSE
No comment OH the outcome in the
House was forthcoming from the White
House. The section which had been
agreed on by the confcrccs was some
what similar TO one which the House
had substituted during first considcra-
ton of the bill for the more sweeping
provision drawn UP and submitted by
the admin stration. The Senate, while
the bill was under debate, threw the
censorship section out entirely by a
vote OF As to Sf.
In the House debate to-day opponents
OF censorship argued that restriction
such the conferees proposed would
violate the right Of free press. The
voluntary censorship under which the
country's newspapers now arc work
ing was pointed 10 as demonstrating
the patriotism OF editors, and as prov
ing that no legal restrictions are
needed.
Among the Democrats who spoke and
voted against the conference censor
chip section was Representative Gard.
of Ohio. author Of the original House
censorship amendment The Time has
not come. he maintained. when news
papers should have to wait for pres
idential proclamation. provided in
the conferees proposal. in order TO
print news concerning the movement.
numbers or disposition of armed forces.
MEMBERS OF JUDICIARY
COMMITTEE DIVIDED
Members OF the Judiciary Committee.
which reported the original bill with
the first administration proposal in
cluded. were divided to-day. Leading
the fight for the conference proposal
were Chairman Webb and Representa-
tive Carlin. Representative Graham. of
Pcnnsyirania. a Republican member OF
the committee. led the opposition
Mr.. Webb argued that some papers,
before the war was over. undoubtedli,
would publish news regarding national
defense which would be useful TO an
enemy, and that some legal steps would
have 10 be taken against them.
MIR. Graham declared other sections
OF the bill were sufficient TO guard
against dangerous disclosures by the
press.
The Democrats voting with tile RE-
publicans to rccommit the bill incIudcd
Dominick. OF South Carolina