Jasper County Democrat, Volume 20, Number 19, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 June 1917 — CENSORSHIP IS BARRED [ARTICLE]

CENSORSHIP IS BARRED

PLAN TO MUZZLE U. S. PRESS DEFEATED IN HOUSE. Conference Report Is Sent Back to Committee With Instructions to Kill Section. k Washington, Jbne I.—The president lost his fight for the censorship of the ' press of the United States during the . war. ; j The president’s defeat took place in i the house of representatives. It was , decisive. - ■ • : : • j j After several hours’ debate the house voted upoii a motion made by Representative Graham of Pennsylvania, tn recommit the conference report on the espionage bill to the conference committee with instructions to eliminate the censorship Section. The motion was adopted by a vote of 184 ayes, 144 nays and five members 1 voting > . ' | | The Republicans, in accordance with their conference decision, voted practically solidly for the Graham motion. They were joined by a number of Democrats. Thus, the house reversed its own action. It will lie recalled that wh-n the espionage bill was pending in the house the so-called Gard amendment providing for a limited censorship was adopted. Not that the members .of the house; any more than the newspapers want information primed in reference to movement s of troops or ships or to re- , veal the slightest hint of policy or action which would be helpful to the cne- , my. - But the house as well as the senate has been impressed by England s experience with the censorship, by the ’patriotic supppression of news by American journals and by the general opinions that prevails that scandals will be prevented if the activity of the press lie not curtailed.