Evening star., 1950-08-09

Following is the teTt of Pres
ident Trumdn'S message to Con-
0ress urging ne1D legislation to
curb SubUerSiUe activities:
I am presenting to the Congress
certain considerations concerning
the steps we need to take to pre-
serve our basic liberties and II
protect the internal security O.
the United States in this perioC
of increasing international diff
Guilty and danger We face today
as we have always faced in time
Of international tension, the Ques'
ton Of how to keep our freedom
secure against internal as well al
external attack, without at the
same time unduly limiting indi-
vidual rights and liberties.
Throughout our history as
Nation, our people have always
and properly-been wary OF gov
eminent action which limited
personal liberty. At the time oul
Constitution was being debated
there was considerable fear that II
did not properly safeguard the
exercise of individual freedom. AS
a result, the first ten amendments
to the Constitution-the Bill OF
Rights-were adopted. in order tc
make sure that the Federal Gov
ernment would not infringe upon
the free exercise of religion, free
dom of speech, freedom of the
press, the right of peaceful as
sembly, and the other basic rights
which are essential in a free So
ciety. The Bill of Rights was then,
and remains today, a stirring en-
bodiment of our democratic ideals
- an inspiration to free men
everywhere and to those who
would be free.
At the same time, the Bill Of
Rights was not intended to pre-
vent the Government from main
tanning our Nations integrity
against subversion or attack. For
example, the right of the people
to keep and bear arms, which is
guaranteed in the Bill of Rights.
obviously gives no license for the
building up of an armed revolu-
ton movement within our bor-
derS.
Threats to Our Safety.
Accordingly, the Government
has enacted laws, from time to
time, against espionage, sabotage,
and other internal threats to our
national safety. Each of these
laws necessarily places some re-
strictions on individual liberty, for
the protection of the Nation.
1t has always been difficult to
draw the line between restrictions
which are proper because they are
necessary for internal security,
and restrictions which are i'm
proper because they violate the
spirit or the letter of the ConSti-
tuition. 1t is clear that on certain
occasions. that line has been over
stepped.
Soon after our Government be-
gan functioning under the Con-
stitution, there was enacted, in
1893, the group of legislative acts
known as the Alien and Sedition
Laws. These laws were ostensibly
designed to prevent activities
which would undermine the Ma
tion'S safety and independence.
But in fact they were broad
enough-and were used-to i'm
prison many leading citizens, in
cluding a member of Congress,
who expressed disagreement with
the policies of the Administration
then in Office.
Lesson of Experience.
The Alien and Sedition Laws
were so repugnant to the free
spirit of our people that they
played an important part in the
disappearance of the Federalist
Party, which sponsored them, and
the Objectionable features Of these
laws were shortly repealed or al
lowed to expire. That experience
taught us a great lesson: that ex-
treme and arbitrary security
measures strike at the very heart
of our free society, and that we
must be eternally vigilant against
those who would undermine free
dom in the name of security.
Since the time of the Alien and
Sedition Laws. there have been
recurrent periods-especially in
wartime-when the safety Of our
Nation has been in danger. Each
Of these occasions has confronted
us with q new set of conditions,
to which we have had to adjust
our internal security laws and
procedures.
At the same time, each of these
periods Of danger has been seized
on by those who, in good faith or
bad. would severely limit the free
dom Of our people in a misguided
attempt to gain greater security.
AS we look back now, we can see
that there have been certain times
when we have, to some extent,
repudiated our own ideals Of free
dom in an excess of zeal for our
safety. Nevertheless, it is a tribute
to the strong faith and common
sense Of our people that we have
never for long been misled by the
hySterical cries of those who
would suppress our Constitutional
freedoms.
Must Adjust Measures.
The present period is one Of the
times in which it has been neces-
sary to adjust our security meas
ures to new circumstances. The
particular danger which we have
had to meet has been created by
the rise Of totalitarianism-flrst
the totalitarianism of the right,
and now that Of the left.
Today, we face most acutely the
threat of the Communist move
ment. international in scope, di-
rected from central source, and
committed to the overthrow of
democratic institutions through