The sun., 1918-07-12
WIRE CENSORSHIP
FEARED IN SENATE
Exemption of Telephone and
Press Lines From Federal
Control Demanded.
POWERS TOO SWEEPING
Postmaster General Aiming at
Government Ownership,
One Charge Made.
Special Despatch to THE Sun.

bpectdf DsspdfcN 10 IHE SuN'
WASHINGTON. July 11.-Oppositlon
centring around possible censorship
powers which under the unrestricted
phraseology Of the Aswell- Sheppard res
olution might be reposed in the Post
master General II not specifically In
hibited, should the latter assume con-
troll Of the telegraph and telephone lines,
enlivened the debate in the Senate to-
day.
This fear on the part OF the opposition
found reflection in an amendment offered
by Senator Watson Und.), providing
that the wires leased to the newspapers
and the press associations should be ex-
empted from the operation Of tho pro-
posed emergency law. The amendment
also provided that the Government
should not control the telephone lines
Senator Smith tMich.) inveighed
against the resolution as possibly sub
jecting the news wires to censorship and
critical supervision on the part OF the
Government
Senator Kellogg (Minn) also adverted
to the danger of censorship in his gem
eral attack on the policy Of Federalized
control.
supervisor for News Wires.
When Senator watson's amendment
was offered exempting telephone lines
and the press wires from Government
control was under discussion Senator
Lewis (1ll.), rushing TO the Administra-
tion's aid, called up Mr.. Burleson and
inquired of him what had been his in.
tentions with regard to the conduct OF
press wires He reported TO the Senate
that Mr. Burleson had informed him that
It was his intention to put all the news
paper leased wires under the direction or
a supervisor to be approved by the pub
fishers OF the newspapers
In the course Of the debate Senator
Borah Udaho) asked Senator Under
wood (Ala.). who was defending the
| resolution, II any intimation had come
to the Senate that Government control
of wires was made necessary through
the activity Of spies.
Not that I know of" replied Mr..
Underwood, but I do not hesitate to
say that l can see where such con-
| tingency might arise. The president
of the Western Union told the COM
mittee that he could vouch for the
| loyalty of 95 per cent. of the company's
| employees. He did not mean to say
, that the other 6 Per cent. were dis
loyal. If there came occasion for the
Government TO take the lines over to
prevent spy activity from creeping in
\ ] dare say no Senator would oppose 1t.
That crisis may come. The President
ought to have power to act II it does"
! To Act in Emergency.
| Senator Underwood insisted that the
fact that the President had not eluci-
dated his reasons for demanding Fed
| eralized electric communication lines
/ at this juncture was not an argument
against the desirability OF the action
proposed and that his statement that
! there was n war contingency which
demanded Government assumption OF
the direction and control of the wires
should suffice the Senate.
THE President has not said he wants
to take over the telegraph and other
| lines now. nor has he indicated when he
might want to do it. but when the time
might come, he wants authority to do It
| That, 1t seems 70 me, is all the Senate
needs to consider"
Mr. Underwood. who seemingly has
taken charge OF the Aswell- Sheppard
resolution in the Senate. was subjected
to a series OF pertinent incerrogat cries
| by Senator Watson as TO why the head
! OF the largest American telegraph cor
poratlon had been heard behind closed
| doors.
Chairman Smith CS. c. OF the Inter
! state Commerce Committee at once in
terrupted to explain that no star cham
Der" proceedings had been intended
| and that the exclusion OF the press and
the public from the hearing of President
Carlton had been a mistake on the part
OF the committee secretary.
Fears Long Litigation.
Senator Gore (Okla,) interpolated the
statement that Mr.. Carlton had not OPP
posed the general programme OF Gov
eminent control of the wires. but that he
had opposed the method as embodied in
the Aswell- Sheppard resolution.
1.-THE Western Union president told
the committee he felt a better plan
could be worked out" said Senator
Gore. He felt that II would take five
years to take control under the scheme
now before Congress and that it would
involve twenty-five years of litigation
80 far as I am concerned do not
favor Government ownership of private
property" said Senator Underwood
But am willing to have Government
control or ownership as a war emer,
gency II favored Government owner.
ship in peace time the first thing
would favor would be taking over the
telegraph companies.
| mo Senator is expected to expires,
his own opinion as TO the policy of Gov
eminent ownership of the lines. Tit
President has asked TO be allowed Il
use his own discretion, and he will as
sumo full responsibility, doing whatever
no does purely as a war measure. The
only question Is whether you want Il
give the President the power he asks II
the event of war emergency, oil
whether you deny IT,
Senator Smith (Mich.) said that "thi!
drifting process" on the part OF tn
national Legislature made possible tn,
ridiculous Garfield fuel order" OF las
winter. ian admitted blunder." and I
now promises, so Senator Smith said. tC
be worse this coming winter