Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-04-05
AIMED At
ENEMY AGENTS
ST Hrs SENATE. |
Measure To Penalize Ger
man Propagandists
Strikes Snag.
JOHNSON DECLARES
1T WOULD GAG PRESS

4
ing disloyal utterances were de-
nounced in the senate today when an
effort was made to rush through q
house bill providing twenty years i'm
prisonment and fine Of $4,000 for
sales, acts intending to interfere with
the army draft and disloyal state
ments.
We've got to do something to catch
these scoundrels and spies all over
the country" said Senator Overman Of
North Carolina. People are taking
the law into their own hands ON the
ground that congress is not passing
necessary laws. We hear reports Of
mobs everywhere"
TO KILL ENEMY INFLUENCE
German propaganda has been mo
toriously conducted" and the bills pur-
pose is to broaden the espionage law,
Senator Walsh of Montana said He
said some federal courts have made
! strained constructions OF existing
laws and discharged persons who have
denounced the president and the ma
ton and obstructed the draft and
bond subscriptions.
Fears that enactm ent of the bill in
its present form would retard rather
than aid the sale of Liberty Bonds
was expressed by Senator Thomas of
Colorado. The measure, he said, would
take away many Of q citizens legal
rights, including his right to criticizv
the president.
JOHNSON IS OPPOSED
Senator Lodge OF Massachusetts, AZ
serted that the measure il pretty
broad" and the authority it contains
might be used by district attorneys for
personal or political purposes.
/ VIGOROUSLY opposing ttha MeAauxal
Senatos John&on ot Calf
svsS 6krnIl1 1e4 at tts sbreadth and
thsx It could be used 10 curb freedom
Of the press and free speech. He said
It is the fashion to impute disloy.
atty to men who do not agree with
every doctrine presented.
SABOTAGE BILL REVISED
Conferees Of the senate and house
today agreed on a bill providing Sc
we're penalties for destruction of war
materials and for sabotage.
Penalties Of thirty years imprison-
ment and a $4,000 fine are provided
in the bill, which was greatly broad
ened in scope by the house and by the
conferees, for acts which actually are
intended or which there is reason to
believe they are intended to injure or
dstroy war material and utilities.
COVERS WIDE FIELD
The latter include arms. munitions,
livestock, clothing, food supplies, rail |
roads, electric lines, canals, engines,
vehicles, vessels. dams, res
ervoirs, aquatics, water and gas pipes, |
electric, wireless, tele- |
graph and telephone plants and "all |
other articles intended to be used by |
the United States or any associate ma /
ton in connection with the conduct of
the war"
The legislation also penalizes wilful
OF defective war mater
ials, including their ingredients.
REFERsfTo STRIKES
A special clause provides that en-
ployes shall not be prohibited from
agreeing to stop work for the bona
fide purpose of obtaining better wages
or conditions of employment, but
otherwise penalties acts interfering
with production of war supplies.
The bill was passed by. the senate
q year ago in restricted form and re-
Gently was broadened and passed by |
the house at the request Of the de-
partment Of justice.