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The Committee on Public Information (CPI) was an independent agency established by the U.S. government in 1917 to "sell" the war by influencing public opinion and educating citizens about American war aims. Under the leadership of journalist George Creel (pictured on the left), the CPI, or the "Creel Committee" as it became known, used a variety of means, including propaganda posters and anti-German rhetoric, to garner enthusiasm for the war effort. Though it was often seen as synonymous with censorship among American citizens, the CPI did not actually have the authority to enforce compliance with the Espionage and Sedition Acts (see sections below). Click on the button below to learn more about the influence the CPI had on the American public and its role in promoting self-censorship.
"In order to convince the public of the war's importance, the Committee on Public Information (CPI) engaged patriotic local residents around the nation to urge Americans in movie houses (where it took four minutes to change reels) and, later, many other venues to support war measures, including the Liberty Loan drives. More than 75,000 citizens—men, women, and children—took part in the Four Minute program, and it is estimated that up to 400 million listeners at movie houses, union halls, churches, parks, and other public forums heard their short, carefully vetted speeches. With a blank space for messaging, Four Minute posters served as another important tool in this propaganda campaign" (Library of Congress, Echoes of the Great War, Surveillance and Censorship, Four Minute Men).
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On June 15, 1917, shortly after the U.S. entered WWI, Congress passed the Espionage Act, which made it a crime to interfere with military operations, recruitment, or promoting the success of enemies. It also gave the U.S. government the authority to limit the rights of speech and the press if the opinions expressed were seen as a threat to national security. To read the Espionage Act in its entirety, click on the image to the right. To learn more about the Espionage Act, click on the button below.
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Background on the Espionage Act of 1917
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Eugene V. Debs (pictured on the left) was a prominent socialist, founding member of Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), and five-time presidential candidate. His opposition to the war and criticism of the Wilson administration led to his being targeted by the government and being labeled a traitor. His anti-war sentiments culminated in a speech he gave in Canton, Ohio on June 16, 1918, which urged resistance to the military draft. "The Canton Speech," as it is now known, led to his arrest on June 30 when he was charged with ten counts of sedition and violation of the Espionage Act . While he appealed his case to the Supreme Court (see Debs v. United States), the Court upheld his conviction. To read "The Canton Speech" in its entirety, click on the photo of Debs to the left. To learn more about his Supreme Court case and ruling, click on the link above.
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On May 16, 1918, Congress passed the Sedition Act as an extension of the Espionage Act of 1917, making it a crime to express opinions, either in speech or writing, that were disloyal to the U.S. government or the war effort, including any attempts to impede the sale of government bonds. To read the Sedition Act in its entirety, click on the image to the right. To learn more about the Sedition Act and its impact on U.S. citizens, click on the button below.
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*Stone, G. R. (2010) Speaking out! Reflections on law, liberty and justice. Lulu Press.
**Stone, G. R. (2004). Perilous times: Free speech in wartime from the Sedition Act of 1798 to the war on terrorism. W.W. Norton & Company.
**Stone, G. R. (2004). Perilous times: Free speech in wartime from the Sedition Act of 1798 to the war on terrorism. W.W. Norton & Company.