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TheEspionageActof1917
DigitalHistoryID3904

Date:1917
Annotation:AmericadeclaratedwarwithGermanyinApril1917.Twomonthslater,theU.S.Congresspassed
theEspionageAct,whichdefinedespionageduringwartime.
TheActwasamendedinMay1918.
InhiswarmessagetoCongress,PresidentWilsonhadwarnedthatthewarwouldrequirearedefinitionof
nationalloyalty.Therewere"millionsofmenandwomenofGermanbirthandnativesympathywholive
amongstus,"hesaid."Ifthereshouldbedisloyalty,itwillbedealtwithafirmhandofrepression."
InJune1917,CongresspassedtheEspionageAct.Thepieceoflegislationgavepostalofficialstheauthorityto
bannewspapersandmagazinesfromthemailsandthreatenedindividualsconvictedofobstructingthedraft
with$10,000finesand20yearsinjail.
CongresspassedtheSeditionActof1918,whichmadeitafederaloffensetouse"disloyal,profane,scurrilous,
orabusivelanguage"abouttheConstitution,thegovernment,theAmericanuniform,ortheflag.The
governmentprosecutedover2,100peopleundertheseacts.
Document:
TheEspionageActofJune15,1917
Espionage
Section1
That:(a)whoever,forthepurposeofobtaininginformationrespectingthenationaldefencewithintentor
reasontobelievethattheinformationtobeobtainedistobeusedtotheinjuryoftheUnitedStates,ortothe
advantageofanyforeignnation,goesupon,enters,fliesover,orotherwiseobtainsinformation,concerningany
vessel,aircraft,workofdefence,navyyard,navalstation,submarinebase,coalingstation,fort,battery,
torpedostation,dockyard,canal,railroad,arsenal,camp,factory,mine,telegraph,telephone,wireless,or
signalstation,building,office,orotherplaceconnectedwiththenationaldefence,ownedorconstructed,orin
progressofconstructionbytheUnitedStatesorunderthecontrolortheUnitedStates,orofanyofitsofficers
oragents,orwithintheexclusivejurisdictionoftheUnitedStates,oranyplaceinwhichanyvessel,aircraft,
arms,munitions,orothermaterialsorinstrumentsforuseintimeofwararebeingmade,prepared,repaired.
orstored,underanycontractoragreementwiththeUnitedStates,orwithanypersononbehalfoftheUnited
States,orotherwiseonbehalfoftheUnitedStates,oranyprohibitedplacewithinthemeaningofsectionsixof
thistitleor
(b)whoeverforthepurposeaforesaid,andwithlikeintentorreasontobelieve,copies,takes,makes,or
obtains,orattempts,orinducesoraidsanothertocopy,take,make,orobtain,anysketch,photograph,
photographicnegative,blueprint,plan,map,model,instrument,appliance,document,writingornoteof
anythingconnectedwiththenationaldefenceor
(c)whoever,forthepurposeaforesaid,receivesorobtainsoragreesorattemptsorinducesoraidsanotherto
receiveorobtainfromanyotherperson,orfromanysourcewhatever,anydocument,writing,codebook,
signalbook,sketch,photograph,photographicnegative,blueprint,plan,map,model,instrument,appliance,or
note,ofanythingconnectedwiththenationaldefence,knowingorhavingreasontobelieve,atthetimehe
receivesorobtains,oragreesorattemptsorinducesoraidsanothertoreceiveorobtainit,thatithasbeenor
willbeobtained,taken,madeordisposedofbyanypersoncontrarytotheprovisionsofthistitleor
(d)whoever,lawfullyorunlawfullyhavingpossessionof,accessto,controlover,orbeingentrustedwithany
document,writing,codebook,signalbook,sketch,photograph,photographicnegative,blueprint,plan,map,
model,instrument,appliance,ornoterelatingtothenationaldefence,wilfullycommunicatesortransmitsor
attemptstocommunicateortransmitthesameandfailstodeliveritondemandtotheofficeroremployeeof
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theUnitedStatesentitledtoreceiveitor
(e)whoever,beingentrustedwithorhavinglawfulpossessionorcontrolofanydocument,writing,codebook,
signalbook,sketch,photograph,photographicnegative,blueprint,plan,map,model,note,orinformation,
relatingtothenationaldefence,throughgrossnegligencepermitsthesametoberemovedfromitsproper
placeofcustodyordeliveredtoanyoneinviolationofhistrust,ortobelist,stolen,abstracted,ordestroyed,
shallbepunishedbyafineofnotmorethan$10,000,orbyimprisonmentfornotmorethantwoyears,orboth.
Section2
Whoever,withintentorreasontobelievethatitistobeusedtotheinjuryortheUnitedStatesortothe
advantageofaforeignnation,communicated,delivers,ortransmits,orattemptsto,oraids,orinducesanother
to,communicate,deliverortransmit,toanyforeigngovernment,ortoanyfactionorpartyormilitaryornaval
forcewithinaforeigncountry,whetherrecognizedorunrecognizedbytheUnitedStates,ortoany
representative,officer,agent,employee,subject,orcitizenthereof,eitherdirectlyorindirectlyanddocument,
writing,codebook,signalbook,sketch,photograph,photographicnegative,blueprint,plan,map,model,note,
instrument,appliance,orinformationrelatingtothenationaldefence,shallbepunishedbyimprisonmentfor
notmorethantwentyyears:Provided,Thatwhoevershallviolatetheprovisionsofsubsection:
(a)ofthissectionintimeofwarshallbepunishedbydeathorbyimprisonmentfornotmorethanthirtyyears
and
(b)whoever,intimeofwar,withintentthatthesameshallbecommunicatedtotheenemy,shallcollect,
record,publishorcommunicate,orattempttoelicitanyinformationwithrespecttothemovement,numbers,
description,condition,ordispositionofanyofthearmedforces,ships,aircraft,orwarmaterialsoftheUnited
States,orwithrespecttotheplansorconduct,orsupposedplansorconductofanynavalofmilitary
operations,orwithrespecttoanyworksormeasuresundertakenfororconnectedwith,orintendedforthe
fortificationofanyplace,oranyotherinformationrelatingtothepublicdefence,whichmightbeusefultothe
enemy,shallbepunishedbydeathorbyimprisonmentfornotmorethanthirtyyears.
Section3
Whoever,whentheUnitedStatesisatwar,shallwilfullymakeorconveyfalsereportsorfalsestatementswith
intenttointerferewiththeoperationorsuccessofthemilitaryornavalforcesoftheUnitedStatesorto
promotethesuccessofitsenemiesandwhoeverwhentheUnitedStatesisatwar,shallwilfullycauseor
attempttocauseinsubordination,disloyalty,mutiny,refusalofduty,inthemilitaryornavalforcesofthe
UnitedStates,orshallwilfullyobstructtherecruitingorenlistmentserviceoftheUnitedStates,totheinjuryof
theserviceoroftheUnitedStates,shallbepunishedbyafineofnotmorethan$10,000orimprisonmentfor
notmorethantwentyyears,orboth.
Section4
Iftwoormorepersonsconspiretoviolatetheprovisionsofsectiontwoorthreeofthistitle,andoneormoreof
suchpersonsdoesanyacttoeffecttheobjectoftheconspiracy,eachofthepartiestosuchconspiracyshallbe
punishedasinsaidsectionsprovidedinthecaseofthedoingoftheacttheaccomplishmentofwhichisthe
objectofsuchconspiracy.Exceptasaboveprovidedconspiraciestocommitoffencesunderthistitleshallbe
punishedasprovidedbysectionthirtysevenoftheActtocodify,revise,andamendthepenallawsofthe
UnitedStatesapprovedMarchfourth,nineteenhundredandnine.
Section5
Whoeverharboursorconcealsanypersonwhoheknows,orhasreasonablegroundstobelieveorsuspect,has
committed,orisabouttocommit,anoffenceunderthistitleshallbepunishedbyafineofnotmorethan
$10,000orbyimprisonmentfornotmorethantwoyears,orboth.
Section6
ThePresidentintimeofwarorincaseofnationalemergencymaybyproclamationdesignateanyplaceother
thanthosesetforthinsubsection:(a)ofsectiononehereofinwhichanythingfortheuseoftheArmyorNavy
isbeingpreparedorconstructedorstoredasaprohibitedplaceforthepurposeofthistitle:Provided,Thathe
shalldeterminethatinformationwithrespecttheretowouldbeprejudicialtothenationaldefence.
Section7
Nothingcontainedinthistitleshallbedeemedtolimitthejurisdictionofthegeneralcourtsmartial,military
commissions,ornavalcourtsmartialundersectionsthirteenhundredandfortytwo,thirteenhundredand
fortythree,andsixteenhundredandtwentyfouroftheRevisedStatutesasamended.
Section8
TheprovisionsofthistitleshallextendtoallTerritories,possessions,andplacessubjecttothejurisdictionof
theUnitedStateswhetherornotcontiguousthereto,andoffencesunderthistitle,whencommitteduponthe
highseasorelsewherewithintheadmiraltyandmaritimejurisdictionoftheUnitedStatesandoutsidethe
territoriallimitsthereofshallbepunishablehereunder.
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Section9
TheActentitles"AnActtopreventthedisclosureofnationaldefencesecrets,"approvedMarchthird,nineteen
hundredandeleven,isherebyrepealed.
http://www.firstworldwar.com/source/espionageact.htm
Copyright2016DigitalHistory

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