Sedition Act of 1918

The Sedition Act of 1918 expanded the offenses that were punishable by the Espionage Act of 1917.  These Acts were passed to keep the war effort cast in a positive light.  If the war were to suddenly be seen as a bad thing by the American people, it would prove to be disastrous.  The American people would begin to protest the war, and the government would have almost no choice but to pull out of the war.  Pulling out of the war would then damage international relations with the USA's allies in the war.  Having the American people buy into the war effort and support it was a must for the American government.

The Sedition Act broadened the ranges of offenses listed in the Espionage Act.  It banned the language that was "disloyal, profane, scurrilous, or abusive language" about the armed forces, the flag and the government and its institutions with contempt.  If you were convicted under the Sedition Act, you could face between 5 and 20 years in jail, depending of the severity of the offense.  The Sedition Act also allowed the Postmaster General to refuse mail that met any of the offenses mentioned in the Act itself.

The Sedition Act and the Espionage Act were really the same thing, having the Sedition Act being a set of amendments to the Espionage Act.  During the war, there were around 1500 prosecutions under the Espionage and Sedition Act, resulting in 1000 convictions.  These Acts were only applicable during times of war, and they were repealed on December 13th, 1920.