The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1919-02-21

elCner the mouse or senate in the re-
naming weeks of this congress. The
hearings have laid the foundation
however, for quick work by the Re.
publcans in the new congress, when
the anticipated extra session is called
FREE NEWSPAPERS DEMANDED
In the meantime, the progressives
are hammering away at other demo-
cratic detectives. Que of the chief
of these is the repeal of the espionage
act, or OF such parts of that and 9TH
er wartime laws as will strip Post
master General Burleson of the DOW
er he has exercised to crush the small
but independent newspapers of the
country. Senator Borah, in a recent
speech IN the senate supporting his
amendment to the postoffice appro-
pl1atlon bill repeating these arbitrary
powers Of censorship of the press bv
Burleson, declared that it was far
better for the nation that possible
few reasonable remarks be printed
when the men responsible could be
brought to book for the act, than that
any single official should have power
to dictate the editorial policy which
newspapers must follow.
Senator Watson of Indiana and
Senator McCumber of North Dakota
argued that it was the "gross abuse
OF arbitrary power that was really at
fault.
ooh, don't talk about gross abuse
of arbitrary power" cried Borah
lmpatlently. What do you grant
arbitrary power for, if you do not
expect an official who believes in it
to exercise it arbitrarily? Papers of
tremendous influence have continued
to publish material for the printing
of which smaller and less influential
papers have been punished. Men are
In the penitentiary today, serving
sentences of 10 or Is years, for say
ing things that | have heard said in
this chamber over and over again."
NELSON WANTS ANARCHY
Senator Nelson denounced "treas-
enable propaganda" and "Bolshevist
poison" and declared that the gov
eminent must prevent the commits
sion Of the crime of publishing treas
enable statements. He argued holly
that this new propaganda, which he
described as "bolshevism," was so
dangerous and SO evasive of the pen
statutes, that its advocates should
be "outside the pale of law" and not
entitled to the process of trial.
Borah held up this statement by
the Minnesota senator to the light,
showing that it was straight advoca-
cy of anarchy, or the rule of force
in place of the rule of law.
RED-EYED SENATORS
Senator Myers of Montana, Senator
Thomas of Colorado, Senator King OF
Utah and few other statesmen who
have long since soured on democra-
cy, have begun to shout "bolshe-
vism!" at a mild and eminently re-
spectacle meeting held in a. local the
alter, at which two American journal
lists, returned from Soviet Russia
told what they had seen and heard in
that country. The chairman of this
meeting was Judson King, who on
week days is executive secretary of
the National Popular Government
league.
Swallowing whole lying report in
a local morning paper to the etfec!
that the speakers advocated the ov-
erthrow of the government in this
country, a handful of standpatters ir
the senate next day adopted a reso.
luton by Walsh of Montana to inves
tigate "Bolshevist propaganda" anc
later they adopted resolution by
Poindexter of Washington calling up
on the department of justice for 9
report on this particular meeting.
When interviewed, Judson King
said: we were not advocating any
thing-just trying to find out the
facts about Russia which we couldn1
get from the papers. Therefore, &C
cording to standpat senate logic, W.
are red Bolshevists. am not alarmed
| lust amused"
INTERVENTION UPHELD
The only action taken at the meet
ing was the adoption of motion IN
dorsing the resolution by Senate
Johnson of California, calling for tn
return of American troops from Rus
sia and Siberia. The senate votes
down that resolution by a roll cal
vote of so to 81, all the Republican
EXCEPT Nelson Of Minnesota, Polndex
ter of Washington and Sterling o
South Dakota voting to bring tn
troops home. Western Democrats
who voted against the resolution IN
Guided Myers, Walsh, Nugent, King
Kendrick, Shafroth, Thomas, Hender
son, Pittman, Culberson, Shepard
! Smith of Arizona, Jones of NeN
Mexico, johnson of South Dakota an
Thompson Of Kansas. Their vol
meant either that they wanted to lie
President Wilson recall the troops o
his own motion, or that they wante
the troops to remain and fight.