The Washington times., 1920-01-09
The People Look to You Tried
and True Senators to Protect
Their Liberties

The American people look to Senators Borah, Reed,
Johnson France and others Of like patriotism to find the
way prevent the enactment Of the gag law proposed by
the Judiciary Committee the instance of Attorney Gen
eral Palmer.
Under the provisions of this BILL no would be safe
in expressing sentiments that did not pledge the Admins
tration in power
Under its provisions the freedom Of speech and the
freedom Of the press made subject to the arbitrary
ings of Cabinet officer and his understrsppers
Under its provisions mans property may be taken
from him without any process Of law
Under its provisions newspaper be convicted of
seditious utterances and ruined without trial by jury
without opportunity call witnesses in defense without
any hearing at ALL and actually without knowledge Of what
it Is accused Of having done.
The guarantees Of the Constitution longer guar
The Congress pass act after act abrdgng the free
dom of speech the freedom Of printing the freedom Of
assemblage the freedom of political opinion and be pretty
that courts be depended upon to declare such laws
constitutional
So the final ditch in which must fight for rights
and liberties is in the CONGRESS ITSELF
The ADMINISTRATION cares nothing for the guaran-
tees of the Constitution Ths COURTS find means to evade
the guarantees of the Constitution.
The Constitution be defended in the houses Of
Congress The bills before both houses of Congress
shameful and dsgraceful to their authors and bold
assaults upon the fundamental basis of liberties
They attempt to set up over us tyranny that the Ka
ser would have dared to propose to Germany
They attempt to set up bureaucratic despoim which
public man would dare to propose in England
And since when did Americans become serfs and
subjects that should submit bureaucratic tyranny that
Englishmen would not endure that Germans would not
endure that Russians would not endure since they have
cast out their tyrants and bureaucrats? u
As Senator France well says it needs only enough Of
this kind Of legislation breed first discomfort then
hatred of the Government, and then REVOLUTION.
Sensible Americans look to of sturdy character and
like Senator the
these gag laws. X
We particularly refer to the Senate BILL champoned by
Senator Sterling and his committee colleagues and the
House BILL championed by Congressman Johnson and his
coconsprators against the liberties of the land and the
fundamental freedom of opinion speech and publication
The spirit Of these, gag laws is un American The let
ter of these gag laws is moral treason the Constitution
They Infamous attacks nghu and guaranteed
liberties.
They are Reputation of the express language of the
Declaration of Independence of the express guarantees
the Federal Constitution and of every ideal of liberty and
self government proclaimed and defended by fathers
They speak the language Of tyranny and insult
to a free people.
The Republican Congressman who advocates votes
for such oppressive American laws ought to be ashamed
to take the name of Abraham Lincoln in his mouth.
The Democratic Congressman who advocates votes
for such laws ought be ashamed to mention the of
Thomas Jefferson.
And we give warning now that no American fit to wear
the badge of citizenship in this free Republic will submit
supnely to such tyrannc gag laws If faithless and
morally reasonable Congress does pass them.
We will fight them with every that rightfully
belongs the hands of the free of free fathers
fine thing indeed it would be copy in the Congress
mental liberties which brought upon the Romanof autoc
racy the hatred of all liberty loving in the world and
finally dreadful and well deserved overthrow and extinction
at the hands of oppressed and tormented subjects!
fine thing indeed is to follow war fought on the
pretex least of making democracy safe in Europe by
legislation DENYING exercise of fundamental democratic