Nice Article: Pardons Granted 88 Years After Crimes of Sedition

[IndyOp]

Silence Broken, Pardons Granted 88 Years After Crimes of Sedition
By Jim Robbins The New York Times Wednesday 03 May 2006
< http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/050306P.shtml >



<snip>

Seventy-nine Montanans were convicted under the state law, considered among the harshest in the country, for speaking out in ways deemed critical of the United States. In one instance, a traveling wine and brandy salesman was sentenced to 7 to 20 years in prison for calling wartime food regulations a "big joke." Forty-one of those convicted, including one woman, went to prison on sentences from 1 to 20 years and paid fines from $200 to $20,000.

<snip>

"I'm going to say what Gov. Sam Stewart should have said," Mr. Schweitzer said, referring to the man who signed the sedition legislation into law in 1918. "I'm sorry, forgive me, and God bless America, because we can criticize our government."

<snip>

The sedition law, which made it a crime to say or publish anything "disloyal, profane, violent, scurrilous, contemptuous or abusive" about the government, soldiers or the American flag, was unanimously passed by the Legislature in February 1918. It expired when the war ended, Mr. Work said.

During that time, though Germans were the largest ethnic group in Montana, it was also illegal to speak German, and books written in it were banned. Local groups called third-degree committees were formed to ferret out people not supportive of the war, especially those who did not buy Liberty Bonds.

[montanacowboy]

1. Another reason that Brian Schweitzer

should be the Democrats choice in '08

He could clean anyone's clock including all those pussy DLCers who profess to run the Party
for the rest of us

If that bunch is in charge again you can kiss the Democrats goodbye forever

[IndyOp]

2. I *like* what I hear about Schweitzer!

I hope he keeps taking actions like this so we hear more!

:-)