Disloyalty Now a Crime
No distinction is made between the disloyal talk or act of a citizen and the hostile speech or deed of an alien, enemy or otherwise. The act or speech is the offense and whoever commits it must pay the penalty—though the law allows a good deal of latitude to the court in determining the latter.
All this means a tremendous simplification of every member’s labors. So far-reaching and important are the provisions of the amended law—so clearly does it indicate the chief kinds of spying and of propaganda which the League must combat, that the whole catalogue of crimes may well be set down here for study and ready reference in months to come. Omitting the preliminary enacting clauses and breaking up the main section into handy paragraphs, the amended law now reads as follows:
OFFENSES:
I—False and Interfering Reports
Section 3. Whoever, when the United States is at war, shall willfully make or 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,—
II—Obstructing Bond Sales, etc.
—whoever shall willfully make or convey false reports or false statements, or say or do anything except by way of bona fide and not disloyal advice to an investor or investors, with intent to obstruct the sale by the United States of bonds or other securities of the United States or the making of loans by or to the United States,—
III—Inciting or Causing Mutiny
—whoever, when the United States is at war, shall willfully cause or attempt to cause or incite or attempt to incite, insubordination, disloyalty, mutiny, or refusal of duty, in the military or naval forces of the United States,—