Evening star., 1935-03-10
ANT[RED LAWS
TOPIC IN STATES
Tennessee Among Several
in Which Restrictions Have
Been Adopted.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
Anti red and anti communism
legislation has become q most pCpu-
lar topic at the State capitals, but
talk has simmered down into statutes
in only two or three instances.
Tennessee has enacted a law refus-
ing a place on the ballot Of any or
yanization advocating overthrow Of the
Government by force.
Arizona and New Jersey require
their school teachers to take oath OF
their allegiance to the Constitution
and New Jerseys Assembly took crack
at Nazi-ism by adopting a measure to
prevent dissemination of propaganda
against any race, color or creed.
Typical Of the wave Of anti-radical-
ism are bills before score OF State
Legislatures to require annual oaths
of allegiance-some including the
State constitutional students as we'll
as teachers: to paddock and forfeit
buildings where seditious meetings are
held; to prohibit seditious utteranceS
in speech or press.
Some Indinerent States.
Some States, however, failed to take
the alleged menace OF communism
seriously. In Ohio bill before the
Legislature would repeal the old war
time criminal syndicalism law aimed at
speakers violently critical of the Gov
ernment. The law curbed soap-box
oratory, but no one seemed to recall
any convictions.
The Vermont Legislature killed bill
that would have denied the ballot to
any party whose activities tended to-
ward un-Americanism by spreading
propaganda A similar measure was
approved by the Washington House.
but lies dormant in q Senate COM
mittee whose chairman said he had
received plenty" Of requests to let it
die there.
California set a pace too fast for
the rest Of the States: Conservatives
shoveled into the Assembly 19 bills to
fortify already existing anti-red laws,
and the liberals accepted the chal-
lenge and tossed in IL measures pro-
posing TO increase personal liberty and
prevent discrimination against aSy
one for political or economic views.
California Proposals.
The California conservatives would
bar Communists from the ballot. make
it a felony to advocate forcible over
throw of the Government or to refuse
to bear arms for Nation or State in
time of rebellion or invasion, and
would brand q felony the display Of
the red flag or any anarchistic symbol.
The liberals, who include q num-
Der Of Upton Sinclair supporters at
the last election. would abolish the
present criminal syndicalism law,
under which IS alleged Communists
are being tried at Sacramento, and
would repeal the vagrancy act.
In Illinois, bills still fighting for
attention would withhold appropria-
institution permitting the teaching Of
doctrines advocating the overthrow
OF representative government by
force. violence or other unlawful
means" and would deny tax exemp-
ton to private schools offending in
the same way. Among other meas
ures Is one which would declare
nuisance. paddock for year and then
sell in the States behalf any building
in which overthrow" is advocated.
Montana Plan Defeated.
Attempts to repeal the wartime
anti-sedition act and the red nag
ban in Montana were defeated.
Fear of a spread of communism
from Mexico was debated on the floor
of the Arizona Senate in connection
with resolutions against alleged re-
ligious persecution. The New Mexico
Senate killed criminal syndicalism
bill passed by the House.
Last year New York enacted a law
requiring teachers to swear allegiance.
but an attempt to apply the rule to
students in State institutions was de-
feated in committee recently.
A street sedition bill fobridding ut
terance or printing of anything ad-
vocating overthrow of the Govern
ment has passed the Alabama Senate
and awaits House action.
The bills to bar Communists from
the ballot have progressed to the point
of final legislative vote in Missouri
and Indiana.