The Washington herald., 1918-04-10
LIMIT DEBATE
ON ESPIONAGE
BHLIN SENATE
Agreement Reached Amid
Quips and Retorts to Re-
duce Wordy Discussions.

Agreement was reached late yes
terday afternoon in the Senate TO
begin today limitation Of debate upon
the amendments to the espionage Dill,
imposing 10000 fine or twenty years
imprisonment, for abusive, sour
rilous or defamatory' statements.
After o'clock. ten-minute speeches
will be made upon the bill and hVe-
minute speeches upon the amend
ments.
Senator Overman, who has charge
OF the bill. endeavored vainly to gam
unanimous consent for a final vote
today. He was unable to get consent
for any set time.
We'll, we will begin limiting de-
bate tomorrow. and 1t may run until
Saturday" he said.
Says Early Passage Necessary.
During the day, he insisted that
public pressure demanded the early
passage Of the measure.
The people are very much
aroused" he declared, after reading
several letters and kilograms urging
action.
Asserting that government depart
ments are honeycombed with persons
Of pro-German leanings and ut
terances, Senator Penrose introduced
an amendment designed to punish
these individuals. The Pennsylvania
Senator would have department
heads hold hearings when persons
are charged with pro-German Ut
terances. Dismissal would be the
penalty Senator Penrose said the
amendment was designed to cover
cases where there had been no court
processes.
Amendments by Senator Jones, OF
Washington, and Senator France. OF
Maryland, were defeated. The hrst
made an exception of persons VINO
suggested changing forms OF agrl-
cultural activities. Senator Jones did
not wish these punished by any law
proposed to stop Interference with
the conduct of the war"
The France amendment PROVIDED
that nothing in this act shall be
construed as limiting the liberty OF
impafHng the right Of any individual
to punish or speak what is true with
good motives and for justifiable ends.
At the end Of the day. Senator Will
inns, OF Mississippi. entered the cham
ber and criticised the Senate for TAX
ing up so much time in hair splitting
during war time. Senator Penrose
had Just objected to limitation Of de
bate because he feared that this would
not leave him time TO talk over amend
ments yet to be submitted.
More time for debate" scoffed Sem
ator Williams. "'The Senate took
forty-eight hours trying TO make up
its mind whether or not to substitute
the participle intended for 'calcu-
lated Now and then a man gets up
-, N-N
was peace time.
>"For Heavens sake. what profiteth
it a man to split hair and lose the
world?''
The Mississippian began directing
his remarks to Penrose. and said the
Republican party did not meet the
issue in the Wisconsin election. In
cidentaIly. williams referred to Elinu
Root as the best intellect that ever
stood on either side OF the Senate
chamber.
"MIserabIe, Reptile Press"
Il will vote any time. even in my
own State of Mississippi. for more
patriotic Republican than Democrat" t"
declared the Southerner, reiterating
his statement OF few days ago.
"Of course regardless of color" in
terjected Penrose.
Here the galleries laugher aloud.
The Vice-President raped for order.
Were the galleries cheering me-"
asked Williams. II fancied they
might be cheering the magnificent
physical appearance of the Senator
from Pennsylvania"
Senator Williams said a miserable.
reptile press had recently accused
him OF injecting partisanship into the
debate.
I'm the only man here who hasn't
=, L, -k.z