| Show I I I I I 1 I NEW W LA- LA LAIS lAW IS I I Ii i LOCK l C UPON IAM ICA ps Sedition Bill Bill Senator Johnson Will WillI Spread Discontent and andI Fear ear Over Country I IWA By United Press WA WASHINGTON INGTON May fay 4 vv Warning V that passage of the tIle pending sedition bill would breed bl discontent ent and make n ke a great virile p people ople timid and s p Q 1 today in the senate s nat d pounced wh he termed attempts to p padlock the Uie lips of America The bill but imposes s twenty ye years years' rs' rs Imprisonment imprisonment imprisonment im im- Im- Im and fine tine on any ny person who uses profane scurrilous s or abusive language about the government govern ment th the army or the tile navy who spreads false rumors rumors inciting resistance resist resistance resistance ance to the government or who by written or spoken word favors rs the cause of ot Germany It also makes Postmaster G General Burleson the sole judge of ot what critical critical critical cal comment in the press may go JO through the mails and empowers him to stop all mail to persons who write or publish anything he thinks improper UNITY HELPS MORALE This effort to gag the press and stifle stine free speech said Johnson is a ablow ablow ablow blow at our brave men mer in France who daily dally perform deeds o of put putto putto putto to the blush the exploits of heroes o of old It is absolutely essential in this time to maintain the morale of ot our people at home We do this best by keeping the people united This bill will disunite them It a watch of neighbor neighbor upon It It wilt will put a premium on hypocrisy Already we have passed laws which have left their mark on one of ot the greatest professions professions journalism I speak now of ot some ome correspondents correspondents- you have all read them when them when I say th that t journalism so far as they are conce concerned con con- ce ned is simply a hypocritical subs sub sub- s to war Into the hearts of brave men you have put fear so that they ate are afraid to write what they think they they are even afraid arald to tell to-tell tell the truth GAG FOR CITIZENS 1 Having done this pr press s ss you are preparing to do now to the American citizen generally I will give you two examples i Two days ago there was wa killed at Ft Worth Tex Paul who was as a. a son a-son son to me lIe lle was a young man manof of ot promise who paul gh beyond th the draft age e volunteered as a buck I I I in private tho aviation 1 corps I have his letters letters' telling ot of conditIons that ought not to have existed Ills His un untimely untimely untimely un- un timely death has aroused not only deep grief griet but hut a feeling that it was unnecessary Wi With h another man his life lite was snuffed out before they had tho the poor of or fighting on the front in France And yet if It the anguished hearts of or those who loved these men should cry I out against those thOM who perhaps were responsible who might have prevented their deaths though deaths though I mako make no charges charge charges but but but if it these anguished hearts should sd s so cry out they would be lia lia- liable liable ble bhe to twenty years ears in prison I br breakfasted toda today with a man who could not bell believe eve that great grea departments departments departments depart depart- ments of ot government are are- urging congress congress congress con con- gress to pass a bill empowering the president to commandeer all real rEial and personal property of any individual company or OF corporation in the coun coun- try lt God lie he said I Good if you vou ou pass we might as well be be bein in Rus Rus- sia ia still 1111 I told him him Keep for if It we pass the sedition bill twenty years in prison will be your portion for or such a remark The Tho senate will vote late Jato today on the conference report on the bill In Indications In- In tlona Tire the vote will wUl be close |
