The Connecticut labor news., 1921-03-04
SCHEME TO CENSOR (Continued from First Page.)

ing in this country that no censorship
 can be established by law to decide i'll
 advance what may or may not be law
 fully printed or published. Ours IS a
 government of free speech and free
 press. That is the cornerstone of free
 government The phrase "the press" in-
 cludes all methods of expression by
 writing or pictures. In past ages there
 were censorships to decide what. might
 be published or even believed. Every
 Christian denomination has at one time
 or another been subjected to such cen
 sorship. The few were very anxious
 not to give freedom of speech or of the
 press. They thought the many were not
 fit for it. They therefore set them
 selves up as censors or guardians over
 the bulk of their fellow-men. The
 center of thought was then among the
 few, and they were very anxious to keep
 it there. But in the course of time, III
 spite of all opposition, the center of
 thought began to pass from the few to
 the many where it is today. It was then
 that censorship, and all interference
 with freedom of speech, of the press and
 of opinion, began to give way by de
 grees, until in the end all of them, at
 all events with us, were abolished. And
 that is now substantially true under all
 free governments throughout the world.
 In our fundamental instruments of
 government in this country, which we
 call constitutions, we expressly guaran- teed from the beginning free speech and free press, and prohibited the passing of any law abridging the same. The provision III the constitution of this state on that subject, which is substan- tially the same as the like provision III the Constitution of the United States, and also of the states generally, is as
 follows:
 Every citizen may freely speak, write and publish his sentiments on all subjects, being responsible for the abuse of that right; and no law shall be passed to restrain or abridge the lib
 erty of speech or of the press"
 So universal has been the opinion that these constitutional provisions abol
 ished all censorships of the press, and forbade them in the future, that 1 have been able to find only one attempt in this country to set up such a censorship be- fore this one of yours. Our constitu- tional provision plainly is that publica- tions, whether oral or printed, or by writing, or by pictures, shall not be re- strained in advance, but that every one shall be free to speak or publish what he sees fit, subject to being prosecuted for libel, immortality, ob- scenity or indecency therefor. There seem to be a few among us who wish us to retrace our steps, and resort to censorships again in advance of publi- cation, and make 1t crime to publish anything not permitted in advance by the censor. Do they know what they l r Il, 4l,ss f the history and literature of the sub of past ages did immeasurably more harm than good? Do they ever stop to think that such censorships now would do even more harm than they did in past ages, in comparison with what little good they might possibly do? l do not believe the people of this country are ready to permit any censor to de- eide in advance what may be published for them to read, or what pictures may be exhibited to them Our laws forbid the publication of any 1ibelous, obscene, immoral, or impure picture or reading matter. Is not that enough? If anyone does this he commits a crim- nal offense and may be punished there for
 If this ordinance be legal then a simi- lar ordinance in respect of the newSpa- Ders and the theaters generally would be legal Are you of opinion that you have any such power as that? If so, you should probably begin with the newspapers and the so-called high-class theaters. Once revive the censorship | and there is no telling how far we may carry 1t. These moving picture shows are attended by the great bulk of the people, many of whom cannot afford to pay the prices charged by the theaters, hey are Solace and an education to them. Why are we singling out these people as subjects necessary to be pro- tected by a censorship? Are they any more III need of protection by censor ship than the rest of the community? That was once the view which prevailed | in government, and there are some among us ignorant of, or untaught by, past ages, who are of that view now. 1 Are they better than the rest of us, or worse?
 When l became Mayor the denuncia- ton of these moving picture shows bv a few people was at its highest. They | declared them schools of immortality. | They said indecent and immoral pie | lures were being shown there. I per Sonally knew that was not so. But | had an official examination made of all | the moving picture shows in this city. The result was actual proof and an l