There are citizens of the United States, I blush to admit... who have poured the poison of disloyalty into the very arteries of our national life; who have sought to bring the authority and good name of our Government
into contempt, to destroy our industries wherever they thought it effective for their vindictive purposes to
strike at them, and to debase our politics to the uses of foreign intrigue.
18. Based on this excerpt, why did Wilson want Congress to give the executive more power to restrict
freedom of speech and freedom of the press?
A. Wilson believed that the criticism of his leadership by the press during his reelection campaign
made US allies in Europe unsure whether they could count on US support.
B. It was clear that the United States might have to intervene in World War I and Wilson wanted to
prevent opponents to US involvement from criticizing the government.
C. The Secret Service uncovered an assassination plot and needed broad powers to investigate how
many people in the US government were involved in the plot.
D. Wilson believed that the strong criticism that was being leveled at him by his political enemies
and members of the opposing political parties.