The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1920-01-22
THE ATTORNEY GEN ERAL
AND OWEN Of OKLAHOMA
OPPOSE NEW SED|T ON
BILLS NOW PEN DIN c

Washington, Jan. %. - Attorney
General Palmer was expected 10 ex.
plain the need for additional anti.se-
dition legislation today, when the
house reules committee opened hear.
mss ON the Sterling and Graham
measures, which are temporarily dead.
locked because leaders disagree rs TO
whether the provisions are too di1s-
tic
The American Federation OF Labor
and the National Popular Government
League, the latter headed by Senator
owen, democrat, Oklahoma, with sew
cral other organizations oppose the
bills Oh the ground that sufficient
laws exist and further legislation
would bc an effort to stiflc free
speech.
The Palmer measure also would
prohibit writings OF teachings which
constitute sedition. Tho bill says that
whoever with intopt to levy war
against the United states or to cause
the change, overthrow or destruction
or any thereof, or to cause the over
throw or destruction OF all forms OF
law or organized government, or 70
oppose, prevent, hinder or delay cSe-
cution of any law OF the United States
or the free performance by the Unlt-
ed States government or any one of
its officers agents or employees of It's
or his public duty, commits or at
tompts or threatens to commit any
act of force against any person or
any property or any act of terror
ism, hate, revenge, or injury against
the person or property of any officer.
agent or employe Of the United States
shall he deemed guilty Of sedition."
Tho Graham bill provides the death
penalty in cases of loss of life, due
to active violence against the govern.
ment and these provisions have been
attacked as too severe. The Sterling
bill has been assailed on the ground
that it would set up a press censor
ship in peace time.
Mr.. Palmer did not appear before
the committee in person. as had been
expected.
Mr. Gmpers declared the Sterling
and Graham measures would oppress
all classes of labor and stifle any move
to change the constitution. Even
moral force, such as organization by
orderly mass meetings, wyuld be pun.
lshable.
81 oppose all activities OF the so.clll.
ed reds" he said. and there is no
one who IS so opposed to these pao.
pie.
stand patters, reactonaries and
fools in congress may hate me, but
none hate me or villify me ~ these
people whose activities have been
branded as red"
What do you Nean by fools In
congress?" Chairman Campbell asked.
II am afraid | would be guilty OF
! les majestic if | mentioned any Names
Gompers replied. Strikes and cessa.
tions of work, Gompers said, are moth.
ing but an aspiration by working peo-
pie for better living conditions. Com.
tries where there are no strikes are
the most backward, he added.
|
Disappearing both the Sterling anl
Graham sedition bills, Attorney Cen.
eral Palmer, In letter to Chairman
Campbell of the house rules commit.
tee. proposed a new measure which
would provide fines not exceeding $40
900 and Imprisonment Of not more than
20 years for persons convicted of al.
tempting to overthrow the government
or Of acts Of violence against the
government or its employees or agents
while in the discharge of their ..
fcial duties.