SEMPLE'S PUNISHMENT.

Northern Advocate, 16 December 1916, Page 2

SEMPLE'S PUNISHMENT.

A telegraphic message published today announces that Kobert S'einple, who was charged with the use of seditious language, has been sentenced to a term of imprisonment. The .sentence is a stiff one, but it must be remembered that his offence was very grave. Those of our readers who read the report of his speech as it appeared in our columns during the week have seen that his language was not such as should have been used in war time. The right of free speech is a cherished possesion of the British. nation. No people in the world have greater freedom in this respect tluui the British mid wo are' always ready to resist vigorously any attack upon that freedom. But it must always be remembered that every right which w<; enjoy carries with it a corresponding responsibility and we have no right to do that v.iii-h ■'ill t-iidau o 'U' or attack the ri^ht

of Others, That. i« what BCiriple has done. He has used hip fight of free speech to utter words which are against the best interests of the State. It would strike a blow at bur freedom if any one member of a community were allowed to perform acts which tjiuMnger the community find Bonip'ie's eyinuathifi'ijrsjsiiouid look at the matter dispassionately and not hold hiiii up as a martyr. This is war time, when the whole Empire is in peril and Scrapie's utterances were distinctly capable of creating a fooling 'calculated to assist the enemy. Some sections of the Labour party have threatened to cause trouble if sentence was passed on Semple, but it is to be hoped that better counsels will prevail and that the workers will not be led astray by extremists.