The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1918-05-05
Sc NATE OPPONE NTS
Of SEDITION BILL
LOSE ALL POINTS
CONFERENCE REPORT ON
MEASURE IS ADOPTED BY
A VOTE OF 4S TO 26.
PUNISHMENT IS SEVERE

Measure Retains Clause Giving
Postmaster General Authority to
Withhold Mail Believed TO Vio-
late the Federal. Espionage Law.
Washington, May 4.-protracted
controversy in the senate over the
sodition bill to severely penalize
disloyal acts and utterances and in
tcrference with Liberty loan sales
and the army draft, ended late today
in adoption OF the conference re
port ON the measure by vote OF
4S to % The house is expected to
agree TO the report next week.
Opponents OF the measure. who
have contcnded that freedom oi
speech and the press would be cur
tailed. lost Their tight 70 strike Oh.
clause giving the postmaster gen
cral authority to withhold mail be-
heyed to violate the espionage laws
and to restore the France amend
mcnt excepting from the law truth
iul statements made with good mo-
tives.
Provides Heavy Penalties.
The bill initiated a year ago and
provides maximum penalties of 20I
years imprisonment and d $4,000
fine, or both, for wide variety OF .
disloyal acts. 1t amends the cs-
pionage act, and with the woman
spy bill recently passed, completes
the cycle of legislation urged by |
the department of justice a. ncces-
sary to clothe the government with
powe, to deal with sedition and dis
LOYALTY and prevent mob violence,
which has resulted from the depart
mcnt's inability to secure conyic-
tions of persons making diSloyal ut
terarces.
That the legislation is unnecca-
sary unconstitutional, too drastic
and confcrs too wide discretion
upon administrative officials have
been the principal arguments of
those opposing It. The final vote
today was along nonpartisan lines,
many Republicans joining a major
iy Of the Democrats in supporting
the legislation. Two Democrats. /
Senators lIardwick OF Georgia. and
Reed OF Missouri, joined with p
Republicans in opposition.
How They Voted.
The vote follows:
For adoption: Democrats-Ash-
lrst. Bankhead, Bcckham. Cham
jerlain. Culberson. Fletcher. Ger
-y. Guion, Henderson. Hitchcock.
Hollis, Jones (Now Mexico), King,
Kirby Lewis. Mcclellan, Myers,
Jvcrman. Owen. Phclan, Pittman,
Fomerenc, Ransdell. Salisbury,
Sheppard, Shields, Sim
mons, Smith Georgia.. Smith
Mary land). Smith (South Carolina)
Swanson. Thompson. Tillman,
rrammell. Underwood, Walsh, VII
IS.
Hepublicans-Colt, Fail. Jones .
Washington. Lenroot. McCum-
,er, Mclean. Nelson. PoindeNter, !
sterling. Warren-Totall0
Total for. IS.
Against adoption: Democrats
fariwick and Reed.
Total ,. Z
Republicans-Borah. Brandcgee. / 4
alder Curtis. Dillingham;. France. L
iallinger. Gronna. Hale. Harding.
ohnson California;, Kenyon,
knox. Lodge, McNary. New. Nor
Is. Page. Sherman. Smoot. Suth-
-lsnd, Wadsworth, Watson, Weeks.
'Cial. p.
Total against %.
What Is Penalized.
As re-drafted by the confcrces.
le bill applies during the war 70 q,
ersons wilfully uttering "disloyaL .
rofane. scurrilous or abusive Ian =
uage about the form of govern II
lent of the United States. consti- 1
ition, military or naval forces. n
az or uniform of the United
tates, or any language intended TO ei
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