"This Must Not Be!," May 2, 1917 | State Historical Society of Iowa

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."

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

Does the cartoonist support or oppose the Espionage Act of 1917? Use specific evidence from the cartoon to support your claim.
What emotional response is the cartoonist trying to evoke from his audience? Which details from the cartoon led you to this decision?

Citation Information

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