The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1922-09-29

EDITOR The STAR
Your front pagc editorial OF the
25th Inst. leads me TO believe that
you have rather haxy under
standing q our constitutional guar.
antcc % freedom % speech and Of
the prsss.
II you viii refer 20 the conatitu.
ton you will see that this guaran.
tee "a coupled with a warning that
every man viii be held responsible
fer the abuse o. hls privilege %
free expression: . g. he MAY say or
write what he plcasss. but must
take the conssque ness n he rem
dera himself liable 70 lawful punish
rnent for scdifioun or tressonnbse
statements. or other statements vic.
lativc Of the law Of the Land. among
which may be eiasHesi statements
defylng the authority Of our courts
or tending 10 Inspire c0ntempt %
our courts IN the minds OF the
people. sOthers are statements con.
shutting criminal libel. sfaternsnts
tending to provoke an assault, In
short. an atafemcnts which no man
has any business 10 make II he
wishes to be considered a good cit.
lxenl
Tho statute law prescrit'es punish.
rnsnf for such statements. and
rightly 80.
Also. the law makes one liable
IN a civil action for damages 20
anyone Injured by malicious state
fnents amounting to Islander or u.
bel. etc. etc. In short. II man
abuses the privilege Of free expires.
sion. the constitution holds him u.
able for such abuse. A. has often
been said. the word freedom" as
used In our constitution does not
mean license" and freedom Of *.
preston. spoken or written. no more
gives one the right TO make Insult.
log. derogatory. abusive. ilcentlous
seditlous. treasonabic or courtroom.
tenptUons uf may coin n wordt
statements with IMMUNITY. than the
constitutional right 10 life. liberty ana
happiness gives one n license 20 steal.
rape. murder. bootleg or commit any
other crime against society with I'm.
punity. Our constitutional rights
amount 10 nothing without laws and
courts 70 protect them. with ma.
chinery to inforce the laws. and law
violafors must be punished. Tor oh
vious reasons.
Court injunctions and contempt OF
court prosecutions have for many
years been "A well recognized and nee.
essary part Of our system OF gov.
eminent. and operate 20 prevent in
reference BY an individual or group
OF individuals with the constitutional
or lawful rights OF other individuals.
or. failing such prevention. 20 pun
ish those who insist upon making
their own law and defying tho eu-
thority Of the courts. IL ono violates
a court injunction. he must expect
to be arrested for contempt OF court.
just as a ball player who disputes
the uuplre's declslon with free
speech must expect to be fined or
put out OF the game for contempt
Of the umpire. Whether the courts
injunction or the umpIre's decision
was right or wrong. In your opinion
or mine. the hands Of constituted au-
thority must be upheld In the in.
terests OF good citizenship and proper
discipline. Violating an Injunction.
like jawing the umpire. or talking
back 20 the boss. IL mere bravndo.
playing 70 the grandstand. as we say.
II. as may happen. since Judges are
only human beings. an injunction not
authorized by the facts should be
ISSUED, there ls an orderly and lawful
way Of avoiding II thru further court
proceedings. and since the violation
Of court injunction is tantamounf
TO violation Of the law. 1 contend
that the one Is no more the part Of
good citizenship than the other, and
that neither should be encouraged
by the press. And By the same token
whatever an EDITORS opinion reward.
ing an Injunction or other court order
may be, and however freely he may
express II under the protection OF
the constitution. believe that he
should refrain from any appearance
OF melting disrespect for constituted
authority or our governmental In
stlfutlons az such, II he really has
nj heart "the good OF the mass Of
the people" and strive 10 build up,
rather than TO destroy the faith Of
the people In their courts. which
are their safeguard and protection
against tyranny. oppression and in
justice.
A more serious offense than con