THE WEAPON OF SILENCE
While Mencken had been critical of Roosevelt's social programs and rebelled against the United States entering a war he did not believe in, his increasing bitterness focused on issues of liberty and censorship, and the government's attempt to stifle the press. Under the authority of the War Powers Act, Roosevelt established an Office of Censorship. Although it was not as extreme as what the nation had experienced during World War I, it was nevertheless harsh and prompted Mencken to reflect on what could happen in the future, when another President used these same powers. As was his custom, he turned to Thomas Jefferson: “Our liberty depends on the freedom of the press, and that cannot be limited without being lost”.
Keywords: censorship, Byron Price, Office of Censorship, J. Edgar Hoover, journalism, Thomas Jefferson
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