The Pittsburgh Press (January 10, 1943)
Editorial: Free speech
A New York policeman arrested a World War I veteran for sitting on a park bench and criticizing President Roosevelt and the conduct of the war to another man in private conversation. A magistrate sentenced the offender to 30 days in the workhouse, the appeals court reversed the conviction.
That is good news. It proves that we will have the free speech for which, among other freedoms, we are fighting. So long as we are loyal to the United States and do not assist her enemies, we are still privileged to express our dissatisfaction with our hired men in public office and with the way they are carrying out our instructions to beat Hitler.
We don’t even have to be right, we have merely to be honest, patriotic and orderly. Which is as it should be.