Word: overthrows
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Dates: during 1940-1949
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...changing by force or other unlawful means our duly constituted forms of national or state governments." As in the case of the Barnes Bill, this seems to be a superfluous piece of legislation since the Massachusetts Anti-Anarchy Act of 1919 already makes it a crime to advocate forcible overthrow of the Commonwealth while the Smith Act of 1940 provides ample teeth to deal with persons engaging in similar activity against the United States government. Certainly "credible evidence" should be sufficient for prosecution either under these acts, or under any laws referred to by the phrase "other unlawful means...
Conant challenged the proponents of the legislation to prove that persons advocating the overthrow of government by force posed a danger to the state of nation. "I know of none anywhere on our teaching staffs," he said...
...first sight, the Barnes Bill could appear to be an unextravagant little document--unextravagant, certainly, in an era notable for the existence of the government loyalty tests and the J. Parnell Thomas Committee. The Bill is entitled as an act to "prevent Communists and others who advocate the overthrow of government by force, violence, or other unlawful or unconstitutional means from being employed as teachers or otherwise in institutions of learning or schools or in the public education system." Although anyone who calls himself a liberal would scarcely approve of such a bill, it might will be considered as acceptable...
...clause concerning punishment for advocating overthrow of the government by force or violence, commendable as this sentiment may be, it is unnecessary to make it law, simply because a law--the anti-anarchy act of 1919--already exists on the books and covers precisely this classification. The Attorney-General, who has been provided by subsequent legislation with ample power to enforce the law, is therefore responsible if any persons advocating overthrow of the government by force are now reaming freely about the Commonwealth. It has been persistently removed, incidentally, that the Attorney-General is interested in becoming Governor...
Administration leaders from other universities will be ready to forward the case of higher education against the bill, which would make it illegal for any public or private school or college to employ a member of the Communist Party, a proponent of its doctrines, or one who advocates unconstitutional overthrow of the government...