Page 126 - Dragon Flood

Congress voted down censorship of the press by only one vote, 39 to 38. Nevertheless, when
entry into the war was secured in 1917, Congress passed the Espionage Act which effectively
gave the government power to censor the press and imprison citizens who spoke in
opposition to the policies of the government. The Espionage Act of 1917 made it a crime:

To convey information with intent to interfere with the operation or success of the armed
forces of the United States or to promote the success of its enemies. This was punishable
by death or by imprisonment for not more than 30 years or both.

To convey false reports or false statements with intent to interfere with the operation or
success of the military or naval forces of the United States or to promote the success of its
enemies when the United States is at war, to cause or attempt to cause insubordination,
disloyalty, mutiny, refusal of duty, in the military or naval forces of the United States, or
to willfully obstruct the recruiting or enlistment service of the United States. This was
punishable by a maximum fine of $10,000 or by imprisonment for not more than 20 years
or both.

The Act also gave the Postmaster General authority to impound or to refuse to mail
publications that he determined to be in violation of its prohibitions.
[Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Espionage_Act_of_1917]

The restrictions to speech were extended in the Sedition Act of 1918. Among the
prohibitions added were "any disloyal, profane, scurrilous, or abusive language about the
form of government of the United States... or the flag of the United States, or the uniform
of the Army or Navy."

The Espionage Act was no idle threat. In a period of months more than 900 people were
sent to prison. Additionally, a number of newspapers and magazines were forced out of
business as the government forbade them to use the postal service to distribute their anti-
war writings.

An example of the governmental intolerance of any contrary opinion to America’s
involvement in the war in Europe is seen in the experience of Eugene Debs. Debs was a
union organizer and a political candidate for the Socialist Party in America. Although the