Det danske Fredsakademi

Kronologi over fredssagen og international politik 21. december 1920 / Time Line December 21, 1920

20. December 1920, 22. December 1920

12/21/1920
Amnesty and Pardon for Political Prisoners. Tuesday, December 21, 1920
United States Senate, Subcommittee of the Committee on the Judiciary, Washington, D, C.
The subcommittee met, in the committee room, Capitol, Senator Thomas Sterling presiding.
JOINT RESOLUTION Providing for the recommendation of amnesty and pardon for political prisoners in the United States.
Whereas there are in military prisons or under bail pending trial or appeal large num- bers of men and women whose offenses or alleged offenses are of a political nature, consisting only of opinions expressed, in words spoken or written, as distiDguished from direct incitation to violence, violence, or overt acts against the Govern ment, all such being held for such alleged offenses under the provisions of the espionage act; and
Whereas the first amendment of the Constitution of the United States provides - "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishmect of religion, or prohibit- ing the free exercise thereof; or abridging freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances" -
in view of which provision there is grave, doubt as to the constitutionality of the said espionage act and the act amendatory thereof; and
Whereas the sole justification for such prosecution- and imprisonment, that of war- time necessity, no longer exists; and
Whereas in the democratic countries of Europe full amnesty and pardon has been granted to political prisoners: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled. That it is the sense of the Congress that the further prosecution and imprisonment in the United States of such a body of political offenders is contrary to the democratic idealism and traditions of freedom to which our country is committed; and
Sec. 2. That we recommend, to the President of the United States, the Attorney General of thie United States, and the Secretary of War a careful consideration of the propriety, advisability, and wisdom of granting immediate pardon and amnesty to all prisoners whose religious, politcal, or economic beliefs only, as expressed in words spoken or written, formed the basis of their prosecution, trial, or imprisonment under the said espionage act and the act amendatory thereof.
Source: Amnesty and Pardon for Political Prisoners. / : United States Congress. Senate . Committee on the Judiciary, Thomas Sterling - Washington : Govt. print. off., 1921. - 213 s. ; Including Draft cases, Convictions, Date of sentence and Judgment pp. 107 ff.).
http://archive.org/details/amnestyandpardo00stergoog

12/21/1920

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