Whoever, when the United States is at war, shall willfully . . . utter, print, write, or publish any disloyal, profane, scurrilous, or abusive language about the form of government of the United States . . . shall be punished by a fine of not more than $10,000 or imprisonment for not more than twenty years, or both. . . .

—Espionage Act, May 1918



This law demonstrates that at one time the federal government was willing to —


confiscate privately owned weapons




force people into internment camps




suspend freedom of speech




suspend habeas corpus