World+War+One+AS

= = = Shaping Public Opinion = President Wilson created the Committee on Public Information just eleven days after asking Congress to declare war. The CPI recruited journalists, advertisers, artists, authors, entertainers, public speakers, and motion picture companies to help sway the public opinion to be in favor of the war. They organized short patriotic talks and sent out pamphlets all across the nation. The government didn't stop there, but then made The Espionage Act of 1917 and The Sedition Act of 1918. Both of these laws led to public outbursts which soon reached over 1,000 convictions in court. Despite the constant protesting, these acts were upheld by the Supreme Court where they claimed the government could restrict the freedom of speech in certain situations.