Document 3a
… i think all men recognize that in time of war the citizen must surrender some rights for the
common good which he is entitled to enjoy in time of peace. but, sir, the right to control their
own government according to constitutional forms is not one of the rights that the citizens of
this country are called upon to surrender in time of war.
rather, in time of war, the citizen must be more alert to the preservation of his right to control
his government. he must be most watchful of the encroachment [intrusion] of the military upon
the civil power. he must beware of those precedents in support of arbitrary action by
administration officials which, excused on the pleas of necessity in war time, become the fixed
rule when the necessity has passed and normal conditions have been restored.
more than all, the citizen and his representative in congress in time of war must maintain his
right of free speech.…
source: senator robert m. la follette, “free speech in wartime,” october 6, 1917
what is one argument against restricting free speech during wartime, according to senator robert m.
la follette?