South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-01-19


eminent 10y violence" Mr Gompers
cited section four OF the penal code.
and asked: IF revolution is afoot
why has not the department Of
Justice made prosecutions under that
section >"
Section five Of the bill. unbeliev-
able as il may SEEM" he continued.
may be easily constructed to mean,
il indeed IL does not make II. a
crime. so vague and involved is TIE
terminilogy. TO wear in public any
button of ar OrganiZa ton whose
purpose is TO secure m amendment
TO the constitution OF the United
states or any existing federal law.
Perpetuates Censorship.
Section six perpetuates the cen
sorship Of the postmaster general
over all newspapers and printed m 1t
ter. The so-called Borah amend
ment. providing a court review Of.
the postmaster generals action, is
sound in principle but is inadequate
10 afford protection as p ac;ical
matter TO a publisher against the
autocratic action OF the postmaster
general.
More amazing still. the proviso
sets I'D a censorship over any mans
private correspondence by the post
master general. 1t would be Grimm
al. for example. for a man TO send
letter advocating resistance TO an in
junction issued by a federal judge
ordering workers on strike to go
hack 20 work. Moreover this section
can be used to prevent the organiza-
ton OF colOred labor on the grounds
Of melting racial prejudice the in
tended or probable result Of which
appeal is to cause rioting. etc. No
doubt advocacy of, or opposition TO-
the cause OF Irish freedom would in
solae sections be prohibited.
"Se ction seven would exclude from
this country. even for Libraries and
investigators, a large portion Of the
labor literature of Europe.
Section nine. ten and eleven con-
tain a grave threat aimed at labor.
Section nine makes unlawful every
Association which seeks directly or
indirectly To make political change
by injury TO private property. 1t IS
unhappily true that even a legiu-
mate strike may result in indirect
injury to the employers private pro
perry right in his business. The re-
cent steel and coal strikes were both
falsely heralded as attempts 10 over
throw our government
IF a hostile federal judge should
decide that any particular strike has
a political end in view and the strik-
ing unions. affiliated with the Anne
rican Federation OF labor the Ame-
rican Federation of Labor would be
compelled at once 70 eXpel the
striking union or itself become un-
lawful. And il would at once be
come a crime punishable by up 10
twenty years Imprisonment or Up TO
500. 900 fine or both. for any person
anywhere in the nation 10 rent "A
hall or business Office TO any labor
organization affiliated with the Anne
rican Federation or Labor TO give or
TO loan it money 10 send strike re-
lief TO starving woman and children.
Against opinion.
I'm general this is a bill against
opinion and advocacy. IL proposes
TO set up not a government of law
but OF men. because under its vague
and sweeping terms no man would
know what the Law is until the fede-
raj Judge interpret its meaning.
THE inevitable result OF this bill.
IL enacted, would he 10 spread
reign of terror over the United
States. iii the country with spies
and special agents of the department
OF Justice nil the land with suspi-
cion and heresy hunting would
quickly become a national industry
IF the principles Of Magma Charta
and the Declaration OF Independence
and the constitution of the United
States are not worth fighting TO pre-
serve. I have wholly misconceived
what patriotism and love OF free
dom means"