Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-07-25
From Other Viewpoints
The Limits of Free Speech.
ny a. MITCHELL. PALMER.

The right Of free speech is not the right OF
Gnbridled speech without responsibility.
There is dead line beyond which men ought
not be allowed 10 without being held re-
sponsible for their words. and ,ha, is the line
which implies. threatens promises the use
OF force-physicai force-to injure people
industry or TO injure or destroy the govern
ment of tho United states.
We believe that a man ought To h. permitted
TO stand on Pennsylvania Avenue. Washinston
and harangue his fellow citizens in deuuncia-
ton OF Congress for instnnce--or IN dcnuac.a-
ton Of the Department Of Justice.
We are willing he should advocate abolish
ing Congress and urge the substitution o,
commission form of government for il, as long
las he proposes TO do it in accordance with the
methods devised by the fathers and founders
OF the republic. for the acconpl !shmemt OF all
reforms SO long as he proposes to persuade
his fellows that is IA wise reform and seeks
to put IL into effect by political met hoGs, ne is
strictly within his rights.
iut when he says he favOrS the abolition of
the Congress OF the United States and TO ac-
comp.ish that purpose he proposes 20 take a
nomh to the Capitol building and plant !, un-
der the Senate or the House OF Repre- entatives
and blow il to high heaven. then ne has
stepped over the dead line and made him
sell an enemy 10 the country and this country
- not bound 10 harbor within its coniins., self
confessed and openly avowed enemies OF the
country.
There ought to be enough kinds OF govern
ment in the world now to please anybody. If
they do not like ours they ought TO go and
find one they do like. instead OF trying TO
change ours by force violence.
And We believe that the citizen who threat
force is even worse enemy TO the country
than the alien who has never taken the oath
, o! allegiance, and he ought TO he controlled in
a proper manner TO safeguard the govern
ncnt.
There has been some loose thinking about
the treatment which has been accorded to the
radical clement N America. These well mean.
ing persons who think we have been TOO dras-
| tie III sending the Berkmans and tH, Goldman
| and the rest Of their Kind back to Russia and
VINO think ihat we have gone too far in ask =
| !hS Tor !es!S!at!on which will protect Tn;
country AGa!nS; threats to commit acts of
! physical force and violence saying in et-
iect ;hat We are infringing upon the rights o!
free speech, that we are abridg!nS that sacred
guaranic" which all Anglo Saxon peoples
cherish a they do no other liberty-the right
!" SPEAK freely, and to have ii printed gcnet-
/ any. Thcy say that any attempt TO stop ,hen n,
from Ia KING IS "A greater menace than allow
! ing them TO say what they will
Now we wan; TO he Thoroughly understood
| in inc doctrines OF free sreerh than we do
| We 'hink the FREQ d!soussict OF ideaS and the
| :T"e expression of opinion constitute the vcry
| !ifeb!ood OF p republic such ours. We re.
! call that in the carly days of the war IL was
! most Interesting sight to see Englishmcn
: walk up and down the streets OF London with
their camps stools under their arms. rendy tc
put them down at any street corner when they
would gather dozen OF their fellow British.