Throughout the spring of 1917 Robert Goldstein had been battling with Chicago censors for permission to show his movie “The Spirit of ’76.” Many of them felt it would offend the British, who were now allies in the war to make the world safe for democracy. After winning this local battle, Goldstein planned to premier his epic in Los Angeles – but he should’ve followed the changing mood of the country, especially in little New Jersey.

In mid-June of that year, President Wilson had signed the Espionage Act, making it a federal crime punishable with up…