The Washington herald., 1918-12-04
WOULD ABOLISH
lRO.CENSORSHIP
Borah Introduces Bill to
Repeal War Legis-
lation.

A bill to repeal the war legislation
which gave the Postmaster General
the powers OF censorship over the
mails was introduced in the Senate
today by Senator Borah. 1t was sent
To the Judiciary Committee Of which
Senator Borah is a member. He In
tends to address the Senate on the
measure within a short time,
The bill rs designed to repeal every
grant Of authority which permitted
the Postmaster General to pass judg-
ment upon letters, circulars, news
papers, books or other publications
and to bar from the mails any mat
ter which in his opinion was in yfo-
Iation OF the provisions Of the es-
pionage act. When these provisions
were Incorporated into the law at the
time It. was pending in Congress.
there was a great deal OF opposiion
to them. and Senator Borah Is OF the
opinion that no time should be lost in
bringing about their repeal.
The sections OF the espionage act
which Senator Borah's bill seeks to
repeal are sections one, two and three
OF Title XII and the amendment
adopted last May as follows:
.L-Every letter, writing, circular,
postal card, picture. print, engraving,
photograph, newspaper, pamphlet,
book, or other publication. matter or
thing, Of any kind, in violation Of any
Of the provisions of this act Is hereby
declared to be nonmailable matter
and shall not be conveyed in the
malls or delivered from any post
otties or by any letter carrier: Pro-
vided, that nothing in this act shall
be so construed as to authorize any
person other than an employe Of the
Dead Letter Office. duly authorized
thereto, or other person upon a search
warrant authorized by law, to open
any letter not addressed to himself.
-"2-Eyery letter, writing, circular,
postal card, picture, print, engraving,
photograph. newspaper. pamphlet,
book or other publication, matter or
thing, OF any kind, containing any
matter advocating or urging treason,
insurrection. or forcibIe resistance to
any law OF the United States, is here
by declared to be nonmailable.
'S-Whoever shall use or attempt
to use the mails or postal service OF
the United States for the transmission
of any matter declared by this title
to be nonmailable, shall be fined not
more than 5000 or imprisoned not
more than i've years, or both. Any
person violating any provision Of this
title may be tried and punished either
in the district in which the unlawful
matter or publication was mailed, or
TO- which it was carried by mail for
delivery according to the direction
thereon. or in which il was caused to
be delivered by mail 10 the person to
whom IL was addressed.
"4-When the United States rs at
war. the Postmaster General may.
upon evidence satisfactory to him
that any person or concern is using
the mails in violation OF any OF the
provisions of this act, instruct the
postmaster At any postofhce at which
mail is received addressed to such
person or concern to return to the
postmaster at the office at which
they were originally mailed all let
tiers or other matter so addressed,
With the words Mail to this address
Jw,deliverable under the espionage
arr.plainly written or stamped upon
ths-outside thereof. and all such let
ters or other matter so returned to
sgch- postmasters shall be by them
returned to the senders thereof under
such regulations as the Postmaster
General may prescribe"