Evening star., 1917-05-04
CENSORSHIP LOST;
VOTE 1870 TO 167
House Adopts Motion to Strike
Section From the Espion-
age Bill.
ADMINISTRATION Defeated

The influence of President Will
sons approval of the newspaper
censorship section of the espionage
bill failed to save it in the House
today, and it was stricken from
the bill by vote of 22o to 167.
The vote came after administration
leaders had fought for the section un-
der hot fire of attack and Chairman
Webb of the judiciary committee had
told the House he had just heard from
President Wilson that the section was
necessary to the defense and safety of
the country.
often visits the Capitol to round up
support for administration measures.
made a futile attempt to get enough
support for the censorship section. At
the same time the Senate was debating
the bill, and President Wilson's support
Of the export embargo section was used
there.
Mr.. Graham Leads Opposition.
The motion to strike out the censor
ship section was made by Representa-
tive Graham of Pennsylvania. q repub-
lican member of the judiciary commit
tee. He was'the leader in the fight in
opposition to the unusual censorship
provisions. while Representative Webb
OF North Carolina, chairman of the
House committee on the judiciary, did
everything in his power to rally to
his support enough votes to give the
administration almost unheard-of pow
er in proclaiming what may or may
not be published.
In addition Postmaster General
Burleson was in the corridors and
lobbies of the House for several hours
today In vain attempt to preserve the
on both sides Of the House that the ad-
ministration absolutely demanded it.
The House. however. had fully made
up it's mind to defeat the section and
hastily disposed of half a dozen minor
amendments and substitutes which
were offered before Representative Gra-
hams suggestion to strike out the en-
tire section.
Closes for Censorship Section.
In closing argument on the censorship
section. Chairman Webb of the judici-
airy committee said that within two
hours he had received word from Presi-
dent Wilson that the section under fire
would be necessary to the defense and
success of the country.
WAS that message brought down by
Postmaster General Burleson: who is
always snooping around hereT Repre-
sentative Norton of North Dakota in
Quired.
Mr.. Webb did not reply to Mr.. Nor
tons question. but continued an attack
on newspapers for not standing by the
President. He said that they had urged
Congress to stand by the President in
the McLemore armed ship and the war
resolutions and the CONSUMPTION fiehts
and now they would not stand by him.
This statement aroused prolonged
cheering from the paciflsts and others
who opposed the President in all of the
controversies Mr.. Webb named.
Told Section Cannot Pass.
During the debate Postmaster Gen.
eral Burleson made a hurry-up trip to
the Capitol. where he pleaded with
leaders on both sides of the chamber
and with many new members who fiatly
refuse to vote for the administrators
press censorship section. Tho cabinet
oficer met with little announcement.
Instead. democrats and republicans
alike told him that the section giving
the President unlimited censoring pow
ers could not possibly pass the House.
One democratic leader, whose name is
always connected with administration
moves. said to the Postmaster General:
This section cannot pass here !
won't vote for 1t myself and I know
only a few who will. The best thing
to do is to strike it out altogether and
then bring the censorship matter into
the House IN the form of a new bill"
Sentiment among House members ap-
peared to be divided as to whether the
Mccormick amendment, designed to
provide for the designation by law OF
certain specific news which could be
suppressed by presidential proclama-
ton, adopted. Members Of the COM
mittee were said to be seriously con-
sidering offering to adopt the McCor-
mick proposal.
See Peril in Press Censorship.
Representative Graham of Pennsyl-
vania, whose motion to strike out the
section is pending. declared in a speech
today that the section was full Of peri
out weakening other needed sections.
|. Let us take the people into our con-
fdence." he said They are the SOW
ereigns. This is their war and they
have to make the sacrifices"
Representative Kahn of California to-
day offered his proposed amendment de-
signed to create a board of censors en-
bracing both newspaper men and rep
resentatives of the State, War and Navy
departments.
President Wilson, in Letter
to Senator CuIberson, Urged
Power to EMBARGO Exnorts