The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-01-19
Liberal Viewpoint
nv ND HARRY FT.MEP pApNrS

r POINTED out in recent column the al
l. most incredible passage Of a sedition act in
Great Britain which threatens the very founda-
tons of British liberty and quite literally makes
any posSessor Of the New Testament liable to
fine Of $1,000 and two years in prison.
A drive is now being launched in he United
States to put the same kind of an act on our
statute books. Reactionary forces are con-
centrating their efforts to get such an act
recommended by the congressional committee
investigating un-American activities. The Aneri-
can Civil Liberties Union is alert to the danger
GUS possibilities inhering in this proposal and
have addressed the following letter of Congress
man John w. Mccormick Of the congressional
committee:
1--WE desire to enter with you our unqualified
opposition to the proposals made to your COM
mittee investigating un-American activities to
use the power of the Federal Government to
suppress any kind of propaganda.
These proposals which we have examined
are aimed primarily against Communists, on the
theory that they advocate the overthrow of the
Government by force and violence. One of our
representatives was present at your hearing the
other day and failed to discover a single witness
who seemed at all familiar with the fact that
it is not the Communists but the reactionaries
who not only advocate but practice violence.
Testimony before your committee in regard to
the Silver Shirts, the Friends of New Germany
QUIET FdSClSG dI1Q S6AA1- dSCLoI VI
CARNATIONS clearly indicates not only their phil
ososphy of violence but their practice of it.
WE are opposed, however, to suppressing
w Communist or any other propaganda.
Suppression has long been tried in many coun-
tries. 1t always has failed. Where Communist
movements have been legally outlawed, they
have always managed to survive either as under
ground conspracies more dangerous for that
names
Specifically, we record ourselves as opposed:
1. To the proposal to bar from the mail
all publications of Communist origin. The
Postofice Department has sufficient au-
thority now to bar all Seditious matter
under Title XII of the Espionage Act OF
1919 which is still in full force and effect.
O. To the proposal to stiffen our al
ready severe immigration and deportation
laws. At the present time a person Who
believes in the overthrow of government
by force or violence or disbelief in all Or
ganized government, may both be barred
from the country and deported if found
here. Such laws are a violation of our
tradition of freedom of speech and po-
litical asylum and are certainly already
far more severe than those in effect in
most countries.
3. To the proposal to enact Federal
sedition statute under which mere
opinions, beliefs or Utterances could be
penalzed At the present time the law
Furnishes conspiracies TO do any overt act
against the Government, even in the
absence of such an act The only thing
not punishable hy law today is the ex-
preston of individual opinion. To make
utterances criminal would be plain vio-
lation of the constitutional provision of
free speech. 1t is wholly unnecessary, be-
individual utterances are in them
selves harmless. Acts or attempted acts
are already covered by law.
I'm framing your report, we trust that your
committee will ignore these proposals made by
those whose prejudice and fear blind them to
the American tradition of freedom of speech and
of press. Their proposals are as thoroughly I'M
American as the movements your committee was
created to examine
NTO emergency whatever justi1es tn
IN slightest consideration for such I'M
American proposals. Those who advocate them
false to American ideals and traditions
They might appropriately be the objects of
inquiry by your committee. The philosophy and
intoleFant attitude Of these spokesman of mill
tary and professional patriotic associations are
squarey in conflict with the professed policies of
New Deal legislati ton.
I'VE have had a long experience with COM
batting the forces which seek to repress labor,
radical and unpopular movements in this coun-
try. Such information as is in our possession is
at your disposal"
1t is high time for friends of liberty in the
United States to wake up before they find some
thing like the British act slapped on the United
States. Here is also something for champions
of freedom of tho press to bite into. Nothing
which ever was imagined in the widest moments
about the NFA matches for a minute the menace
which resides in an American sedtion act.
Yet we find several of the leading newspaper
publishers of the country just at present trying
hat theU will RI
just such atrocities against civilization as
Sedition act