# United States convicts Mother Earth editor Emma Goldman of draft conspiracy and bars her magazine from the mail

Published 2026-09-26. Last reviewed 2026-09-26. 2 sources.

Status: historical, as of 2026-09-26.

Emma Goldman, editor of the anarchist magazine Mother Earth, was convicted with fellow anarchist Alexander Berkman of conspiring against the newly enacted Selective Draft Law and received the maximum two year sentence and a ten thousand dollar fine. Postal authorities then withdrew Mother Earth's second class mailing privileges, and Goldman was deported from the United States in 1919.[1][2][3]

- Country: [United States](https://thewaronnews.com/countries/us) (RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180)
- Where: United States
- Level of government: National
- Tactics: Detention and violence, Expulsion and visa denial, Shutdowns and blocking
- Stage: Punish (ladder: https://thewaronnews.com/ladders/detention_and_violence#stage-punish)
- Head of government at the time: [Woodrow Wilson](https://thewaronnews.com/leaders/woodrow-wilson)
- Issue of the day: The United States had entered the First World War in April 1917 and introduced a national draft that spring, and federal authorities moved against anarchists, socialists and other war opponents under new wartime laws.
- Outcome: Upheld by a court, 14 January 1918. Goldman's conviction stood, and she was deported from the United States in 1919.
- Era: The 1910s

## What happened

Emma Goldman had edited and contributed to Mother Earth, an anarchist magazine published in New York since 1906. After Congress enacted the Selective Draft Law on May 18, 1917, requiring men to register for military conscription, Goldman and fellow anarchist Alexander Berkman were arrested in New York within weeks on charges of conspiring to induce men to refuse to register. A jury convicted both, and the trial court imposed the maximum sentence available under the conspiracy statute: two years in prison and a ten thousand dollar fine. The Supreme Court of the United States, hearing the case as Goldman v. United States, affirmed the conviction on January 14, 1918, rejecting arguments that there had been no evidence of guilt to submit to the jury. After Goldman's conviction, postal authorities denied Mother Earth its second class mailing privileges, cutting off the inexpensive postal rate the magazine needed to reach subscribers nationwide, and the magazine was suppressed. Goldman served her sentence, and in December 1919 she was deported from the United States.[4][1][5][6][2][3]

## What reason was given

The government charged that Goldman and Berkman conspired to induce men liable for the draft under the Selective Draft Law of May 18, 1917, to disobey the law by failing to register.[4][1][5][6][2][3]

## What changed for reporting

Mother Earth, the magazine Goldman edited, was suppressed after the Post Office withdrew its second class mailing privileges following her conviction.[4][5]

## Timeline

- 1917: United States convicts Mother Earth editor Emma Goldman of draft conspiracy and bars her magazine from the mail

## Outlets and journalists

| Name | Kind | Relation |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [Mother Earth](https://thewaronnews.com/outlets/mother-earth) | outlet | affected |

## Sources

1. Emma Goldman. https://firstamendment.mtsu.edu/article/emma-goldman/ (Emma Goldman, 2009).
2. Goldman v. United States, 245 U.S. 474 (1918). https://www.law.cornell.edu/supremecourt/text/245/474 (Goldman v. United States, 245 U.S. 474 (1918), 1918-01-14).

## Claims cited

[1] Goldman was arrested with Alexander Berkman within weeks of the Selective Draft Law's enactment, and both were convicted of conspiracy against the draft and given the maximum two year sentence and a $10,000 fine. Quote: "Arrested, along with fellow anarchist Alexander Berkman in New York less than a month after the enactment of the act, the two were found guilty of conspiracy against the draft and received the maximum two-year sentence and a $10,000 fine." Source: Emma Goldman, 2009. Emma Goldman. https://firstamendment.mtsu.edu/article/emma-goldman/ Claim: https://thewaronnews.com/claims/944, checked 2026-09-26.

[2] The Supreme Court of the United States heard Goldman's appeal on December 13 and 14, 1917, and decided the case on January 14, 1918. Quote: "No. 702. Argued Dec. 13, 14, 1917. Decided Jan. 14, 1918." Source: Goldman v. United States, 245 U.S. 474 (1918), 1918-01-14. Goldman v. United States, 245 U.S. 474 (1918). https://www.law.cornell.edu/supremecourt/text/245/474 Claim: https://thewaronnews.com/claims/947, checked 2026-09-26.

[3] The indictment charged that Goldman and her co-defendants conspired to induce persons required to register under the Selective Draft Law of May 18, 1917, to disobey the law. Quote: "unlawfully conspired together and with others unknown to induce persons who by the Selective Draft Law of May 18, 1917" Source: Goldman v. United States, 245 U.S. 474 (1918), 1918-01-14. Goldman v. United States, 245 U.S. 474 (1918). https://www.law.cornell.edu/supremecourt/text/245/474 Claim: https://thewaronnews.com/claims/948, checked 2026-09-26.

[4] Goldman was at times an editor and contributor to Mother Earth, an anarchist magazine published from 1906 until it was suppressed in 1917. Quote: "Goldman was at times an editor and a contributor to Mother Earth, an anarchist publication active from 1906 until it was suppressed in 1917 under the Espionage Act" Source: Emma Goldman, 2009. Emma Goldman. https://firstamendment.mtsu.edu/article/emma-goldman/ Claim: https://thewaronnews.com/claims/943, checked 2026-09-26.

[5] After Goldman's conviction, the postal authorities denied Mother Earth its second class mailing privileges. Quote: "After she was convicted, the postal authorities denied Mother Earth second-class mailing privileges" Source: Emma Goldman, 2009. Emma Goldman. https://firstamendment.mtsu.edu/article/emma-goldman/ Claim: https://thewaronnews.com/claims/945, checked 2026-09-26.

[6] Goldman was deported from the United States in 1919. Quote: "Emma Goldman was deported in 1919 and moved to Great Britain in 1921." Source: Emma Goldman, 2009. Emma Goldman. https://firstamendment.mtsu.edu/article/emma-goldman/ Claim: https://thewaronnews.com/claims/946, checked 2026-09-26.

Source page: https://thewaronnews.com/incidents/1917-us-mother-earth-editor-emma-goldman-convicted-magazine-barred-from-mail. The War On News, CC BY 4.0.