New-York tribune., 1918-04-09
Senate Adopts Amend
ments to Meet Gag
Law" Charges
Offensive Talk
Must Be "Wilful"
Myers Declares Attacks on
President Should Be
Barred, Too

WASHINGTON, April S. Another
day of lively Senate debate on the
sedltlon bill, which would punish dis
loyal utterances and attempts TO
hinder the army draft and Liberty
bond campaigns, resulted in the adop-
ton of amendments designed to meet
the objection of Senators that the
measure might prevent legitimate criti-
csm in the war.
The changes were in the clause
penaizing disloyal, profane, scurrjlcus,
abusive Or contemptuous language di-
rectcd at the "form Of government,
Constitution, flag or uniforms of the
nation and calculated to bring them
into contempt or scorn."
Senator Thomas, of Colorado, offered
an amendment to provide that such
acts should be "wilful" and Senator
Borah, of Idaho. proposed to substitute
the word "intended" for "calculated." :"
There were objections that convictions
languages, but both amendments were
approved, that of Senator Borah by a
vote Of 81 to %, with partisan lines
disrcgarded
Senators in Controversy
An amendment, urged by Senator
Hardwick, of Georgia, which led to a
controversy between the Georgia SEN
ator and Senator Poindexter. of WASH
lngton, proposed that the words "cause
of the" should be eliminated from the
latter's amendment penalizing those
tavorlng the cause of the German
Empire" 1t was rejected without a
record vote, but not until the two
Senators became so pointed in their
language that the chair called them
to order
Senator Hardwicls insisted that mill
ions of people honestly differ on the
cause of the war. Senator Poindexter
retorted that the Georgia Senator had
not particularly supported" the war
and cited his opposition to the draft
law.
Senator Sherman, of Illinois, took oc-
casion to denounce the recent lynching
OF German at Collinsville, H., as a
disgrace" and criticised town officials
tor failing to protect the mob's victim.
He urged that language of the bill
penallZlng "c0ntemptuous and scurri-
lous" criticism should apply to dis
loyal uttcrances only, and said Assist
ant Secretary of Labor Post and
George Creel, chairman of the Commit
tee on Public Information, in the past
had written articles severely criticising
the American form of government
which would be punishable under the
measure as now drawn.
Senator Gallinger, the Republican
leader. also urged that the prohibition
should be limited to disloyal utter
ances, and suggested that as drawn the
clause might be construed to prevent
legitimate criticism of the President in
the approaching political campaign.
Offers a Substitute Bill
Later he introduced a substitute bill
embracing his ideas but retaining sub
stantially all other provisions of the
lcgi Station. Senator France, of Mary
land, also offered an amendment pro-
viding that the bill should not limit the
liberty or impair the right "of any in
dividual to publish or speak what is
true with good motives and for JUS
tifiable cnds.'
Another unsuccessful effort was made
during the day by Senator Overman. of
North Carolina, in charge Of the meas
urc, to secure unanimous consent to fix
a time for final vote. Objections i'm
mediately followed.
Referring to the discussion Saturday
OF Colonel Rooscvelt's statement that