State Historical Society of Iowa

"This Must Not Be!," May 2, 1917

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Courtesy of Library of Congress, McCay, Winsor, "This Must Not Be!" New York Journal-American, 2 May 1917

Description

This political cartoon shows a woman labeled "Liberty" being chased down the steps of the U.S. Capitol by a man labeled "Congress" with a whip labeled "Espionage Bill." The image was published before the passage of the Espionage Act of 1917, which essentially made it a crime for any person to convey information intended to interfere with the U.S. armed forces prosecution of the war effort or to promote the success of the country's enemies. The cartoon was published in the American newspaper, the New York Journal-American.

Source Dependent Questions

  • How did the cartoonist show the expectations of support in the Espionage Act were unjustified? Use details from the cartoon to support your answer.
  • How did the legal case of Schneck vs. the United States corroborate arguments used in this cartoon?
  • According to the cartoonist, how has the war influenced the American Values it upholds?

Citation Information

McCay, Winsor, "This Must Not Be!" New York Journal-American, 2 May 1917. Courtesy of Library of Congress Courtesy of Library of Congress