Milford chronicle., 1953-04-17
THE CONSTITUTION STILL sTANDe

AHE CONSTITUTION STILL STANDS
Congress shall make no law abrido.
ny tne freedom OF spdech or of the press
OF the right of the people peaceabiv f. ose 9sl
selnole and to petition the Government fo,
redress Of grievances" -Ol
90 states the First Amendment to +bo
ConstlIuuon. This is the guarantee that we
4rs, 10y say ana PRINT what we believe to be
eIue' ana Cnat IN addition we have the Tiob+
70 attempt to convert other people to en-.
opinion. -l-'''eiioe PuOhc
Even so, general statement of principle
no matter how unequivOcal is subject to in
depreciation when specific instance is in
vowed. case which was just decided bv
liz supreme COurt-and which may have
historic slgnlhcance-is in point here.
IN 1901, House of Representatives COM
mlLCee conducted an Investigation of lObbv-
ing. Among the witnesses summoned was
1t EDWARD a. Rumely, executive secretary
o. an organization known as the COMMITTEES
Tor constitutional Government. This ORGAN
lzatlon had published and sold books which
were extremely critical of New Deal milo
s0phles, policies, and acts DR.. Run1elv was
0rqered to disclose the names of people who
nau OO9gnt books to the value of $500 or
more more. ne refused: The House, by narrow
vote winch generally followed partisan lines
clteo nm Tor contempt of Congress. He was
1ound guilty IN Federal District Court and
sentenced to $1,000 fine and a six-months
prison sentence, the latter being susnnndnd
Dr. Rumely appealed, and the u, S. Cir
sicult Court OF Appeals reversed his cOnvic-
uon' citing the First Amendment. The Gov
Court. '--' y upi eiiie
A short time ago this court of last resort
held, by to vote with two Justices not
participating, that DR.. RumeIy was not gull
ty, on the grounds that the resolution under
Which the lobbying committee acted did not
empower an investigation into publishing
activities. But Justice Douglas, with Justice
Black concurring, went much farther in a
separate opinion He dealt with the constitu-
Llonal issue involved. Here, in part, is what
ne said: IF the present inquiry were Sane
toned the press would be subjected to har-
asSment that IN practical effect might be as
serious as censorship. A reinforcement
tnat publisher disclose the identity of
those who buy his books, pamphlets. or
papers is indeed the beginning of surveil-
lance of the press.
The finger of government leveled against
the press is ominOus. Once the government
can demand OF publisher the names of the
purchasers Of his publications. the free nress
as we know it disappears.
Then the spectre of a government aoan+
Will look over the shoulder of everyone who
reads. The purchase of book or pamphlet
today may result in a subpoena tomorrow.
1he books and pamphlets that are criti-
cal OF the administration, that preach an
unpopular policy in domestic or foreign af-
fairs, that are in disrepute in the orthodox
school OF thought will be suspect and sub
ject to investigation.
If the lady from Toledo can be required
. disclose what she read yesterday and what
me Will read tomorrow, fear will take the
place Of freedom in the libraries. bookstores.
ma homes OF the land. Through the har-
lssfnent OF hearings, Investigations, reports. ;
m .Lu suDpoenas government will hold club {
'Ver' speech and over the press.V
Justice Douglas opinion did not make
many headlines. But it may be remembered
ong after some Of the best-publicized events
t today are forgotten.
q