The Washington times., 1917-09-27
PRESIDENT SAYS
CENSORSHIP WILDE
JUSTLY ENFORCED
By DAVID LAWRENCE.
Continued from First PaEe.)

ITOiM q oeN"g
to come out clearly with an outline OF
the limits Of the governments proposed
restriction, say his letter is very In
definite and liable to be Of little use
TO them in combating the enorts OF
bourbon-minded subordinRtes who ad'
minister the law. not in the same spirit
as Mr.. Wilson would II he could give
the matter personal attention, but with
arbitrary zeal.
The grant of more power to the
Postoffice Department to suppress is
sues Of English as we'll as foreign
language newspapers printing what
the Postmaster General may decide is
seditious or disloyal articles has made
the attitude of the President OF the
most vital Importance just now for
the Department OF Justice will be able
to prosecute, not only express COM
panies, but news agencies. newsboys
and anybody else who assists in cir
culating any publication declared non
mailable.
Publishers Ask Hearing.
So far-reachIng is this authority
that a committee from the American
Newspaper Publishers Association has
requested of President Wilson an op-
portunity to be heard before he signs
the trading with the enemy act which
contains the news censorship powers
Mr.. Wilson has become the sole
arbiter of the destinies of that part
of the press which has frequently dis
agreed with the policies of the Gov
ernment in the past and sought to
maintain a consistent attitude
, throughout the war on questions
which Socialist and other radical
newspapers have preached in this
country for many generations.
That Mr.. Wilson recognizes the
value of a radical press 10 generally
believed to be true, for he himself has
been in his day radical and much
OF the "Bull Moose" platform OF 1912
| which was effectively put into law by
the Democrats, can be found In the
columns OF Socialist newspapers In
years gone by. In fact, looking to-
ward 1920, there Is q possibility that
the wave Of socialism which Is sweep
ing Europe may affect the politics OF
America and give one Of the national
political parties an. opportunity to
make a campaign for liberalism as
we'll as proEresslvism.
President Desires Fairness.
Whatever the Administration may do
at this moment will determine the en-,
tire future operation Of its policy to-
ward liberal newspapers and magazines
| in this country. The Presidents letter
indicates q desire on his part to do the
right thing. but the right thing. as he
himself frequently says, Is not always
an easy or a pleasant thing.
His observation that utterances which
may be innocent in time Of peace may
be dangerous in time Of war reflects an
apprehension that serious disaffection
may be promoted among the masses Of
this country. especially in connection
with labor troubles and the operation
of the draft II the extreme statements
sometimes made by socialist and soap
box orators are permitted to 80 unchal
lenged.
II may be another case in which the
extremists have impaired the usefulness
of the moderates in a reform movement
but the fact is, the President think
some Of the PROPAGANDA already has hac
serious effects In !. w. w. troubles anG
he appears disposed to err on the sid'
of conservatism, that Is, to take M
chances on the circulation OF mattel
that may produce labor unrest In thi
country.
bitter Against Some Editors.
Particularly do members Of the Ad
ministration feel bitter against So
cialist editors who have been declar
ing that the war in which America u
engaged in a capitalists war. on
. servations of that kind are not re
Earded by the Government as base
upon fact, but II permitted to circu
late might conceivably weaken tn
ihand of the National Government II
trying to float Liberty loans or II
Affecting the spirit of the men Sc
lected for military service.
II, however, the Federal Government
would undertake to cooperate VIII
, those Socialist and other publication
which have offered to submit thel
lreading matter to the Government o.