SENATE VOTES TO CENSOR NEWS DURING WWI

JFK+50:  Volume 7, No. 2285

PRESIDENT MAY MAKE REASONABLE REGULATIONS OF THE PRESS DURING WARTIME

Washington, D.C.  (JFK+50) One hundred years ago today, April 20, 1917, the United States Senate voted to censor news in the American press during wartime.  An amendment to the Espionage Act of 1917*, which would have nullified a section on press censorship, was defeated by a vote of 40 to 34.  The majority of Senators voting against the amendment were Democrats.

Under the press censorship section, the President of the United States may make "reasonable regulations" concerning the publication of information relating to military plans and movements.  If the regulations were not followed, heavy penalties would be applied.

The President's censor, George Creel**, would be responsible for formulating the reasonable regulations of the press.

*The Espionage Act of 1917 went into effect on June 15, 1917.  It punished acts of interference with foreign relations & foreign commerce.  The act also set punishment for espionage.

**George Edward Creel (1876-1953) was born in Lafayette County, MO.  His father was a captain in the Confederate army during the Civil War.  GEC became owner & editor of The Independent, a Kansas City newspaper.  During WWI, he served as head of the US Committee on Public Information, popularly known as the Creel Committee.

SOURCE

"SENATE VOTES TO CENSOR NEWS IN AMERICAN PRESS," The Chicago Daily Tribune, April 21, 1917, www.archives.chicagotribune.com/

George Creel

Bain Photograph (1917)

Library of Congress Image

ESPIONAGE ACT OF 1917 & SEDITION ACT OF 1918

JFK+50:  Volume 7, No. 2245

PRESIDENT WILSON PREPARES FOR A MILITARY DICTATORSHIP

Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) 100 years ago today, March 11, 1917, President Woodrow Wilson's administration was preparing a program, including the punishment for espionage and censorship of criticism of the government, in the event of war with Germany.

Arthur Sears Henning wrote...

"Foremost among the plans being worked out (includes) the establishment of...a military dictatorship."

Once the Wilson program was enacted into law, the President would have the power "to suppress all...inefficient and inadequate defense policy and all criticism of the administration."*

The Wilson program, as described by Mr. Henning, included...

-rigid censorship of the press
-an espionage bill
-appropriations for the navy
-build up of the army to 500,000
-development of plans for employment & coordination of industrial resources


*The Espionage Act of 1917, passed on June 15, provided for the punishment of interference with foreign relations & the foreign commerce of the U.S., the punishment of espionage & better enforcement of the criminal laws of the U.S.

The Sedition Act of 1918, passed on May 16, forbade the use of "disloyal, profane, scurrilous, or abusive language about the US government, its flag or its armed forces."

SOURCE

"Wilson Seeks Great Power on Publicity," by Arthur Sears Henning, March 12, 1917, The Chicago Daily Tribune, www.archives.chicagotribune.com/

"Blessed Are the Peacemakers"

anti-war cartoon by George Bellows

The Masses (1917)