The Washington herald., 1920-02-01
new SEDITION
!, BILLSTARTS
INHOUSE
The Judiciary Committee
Reaches Decision to
Begin Hearing.

Definite decision to report out a
new anti-sedition bill was reached
by the House Judiciary Commit
tee yesterday.
Chairman voistead stated that
the committee had agreed that
some legislation along this line is
needed TO enable the Department
Of Justice to deal effectively with
the elements advocating over
throw of the government by force
and violence. Hearings will start
next Wednesday.
The new measure will be framed
80 as to meet the reasonable OBJ
jections raised against the Graham
and Sterling bills, II was explained.
1t will clearly safeguard the rights
of free speech and free press and
other legitimate activities which
opponents of the original bills
charged were impaired. and will
be confined solely to provisions for
the punishment of agitators who
advocate force and violence.
Request from Palmer.
The committee will base the forth
coming legislation. Mr.. Voistead said.
on the recommendations of Attorney
General Palmer as embodied in the
bill introduced by Representative
Davey. Democrat, of Ohio. and a
similar measure introduced by Rep
sentative Hustled. Republican. of New
York.
The decision to report out a new
bill was reached after the receipt OF
from the Attorney Cen
eral that he still believes legislation
to curb advocates of force and vio-
lence is necessary. Palmer is en-
phatic that he has not abandoned his
original position. as charged by sew
eral members of the House Rules
snce his failure to appear
to testify in the hearings on the
Graham bill.
The Attorney General has arranged
with Chairman VoIstead to appear
before the Judiciary Committee on
it was announced.
Attorney General Newton. of New
York. also has announced his inten-
ton OF appearing before the COM
mittee on Thursday to give some
additional reasons why snti-sedition
Il. .isis 1Jn is necessary. Represent
ative Davey. who requested that
the New York attorney general ap-
pear before the committee. an
bounced that he had been informed
that Mr. Newton desires to. submit
to the committee the results of the
l.usk committees investigation of
the activities of radicals in New
York State.
Measure Will BE short.
After a conference with Attorney
General Palmer today, Mr.. Davey
announced that Mr.. Palms has not
backed water" on his original
recommendation for some form of
sedition legislation. The charge to
this effect by several members Of
the House, he said. was unwar-
ranted; the Attorney General mere
ly was opposed to the G aham and
Sterling bills as too drastic. He
added:
THE Attorney General believes ad-
ditional legislation is necessary IL the
Department of Justices campaign
against all forms of radicalism and
violence is to be effective. He be-
lieves the bill which he framed and
l introduced in the House safeguards
all the liberties of real American citi-
zens, and at the same time furnishes
an effective weapon against advo-
Gates of physical force and violence
seeking the overthrow of the present
form of government"
Discussing the plans of the Judici-
ary Committee. Chairman Nolstead
said:
Our plans arc to frame a bill that
will be short and to the point. in place
of the long Graham bill. The commit
tees intention in framing a bill al
WAYS has been to reach only those
advocates of physical force and vio-
lepce. and il will be made plain that
the measure cannot be used against
those who seek change in our form
of government by peaceful means or
BY moral force This meets the main
objection Of Samuel Gompers TO the
ham bill. | believe there are few
m, in Congress who will vote against
= N that is clearly framed to COM
bat violent radical activities.