schneider new jersey argued decided november joseph rutherford olin moyle brooklyn petitioner robert morris newark respondent osmond fraenkel new york city wirin los angeles appellant frederick von schrader ray chesebro leon david bourke jones los angeles appellee richter milwaukee petitioner carl zeidler milwaukee respondent sidney grant boston osmond fraenkel new york city appellants edward proctor paul dever boston appellee justice roberts delivered opinion four cases presents question whether regulations embodied municipal ordinance abridge freedom speech press secured state invasion fourteenth amendment constitution municipal code city los angeles provides shall mean dodger commercial advertising circular folder booklet letter card pamphlet sheet poster sticker banner notice written printed painted matter calculated attract attention public person shall distribute among pedestrians along upon street sidewalk park passengers street car throw place attach upon automobile vehicle appellant charged municipal violation sec upon trial ws proved distributed handbills pedestrians public sidewalk three hundred possession purpose judgment conviction entered sentence imposed superior los angeles county affirmed judgment highest state authorized pass upon case appeal allowed handbill appellant distributing bore notice meeting held auspices lincoln brigade speakers discuss war spain sustained validity ordinance ground experience shows littering streets results indiscriminate distribution handbills held right free expression absolute subject reasonable regulation ordinance transgress bounds reasonableness lovell city griffin distinguished ground ordinance question prohibited distribution anywhere within city one involved forbids distribution limited number places ordinance city milwaukee wisconsin provides hereby made unlawful person throw paper circulate distribute circular cards posters dodgers printed advertising matter upon sidewalk street alley wharf boat landing dock ther public place park ground within city milwaukee petitioner acting picket stood street front meat market distributed passing pedestrians pertained labor dispute meat market set forth position organized labor respect market asked citizens refrain patronizing bills thrown street persons given resulted many papers lay gutter street police officers arrested petitioner charged violation ordinance arrest received bills threw away testimony action officers accorded policy police department enforcement ordinance effect distribution resulted littering streets one cause littering passed bills arrested rather received afterwards threw away milwaukee county found petitioner guilty fined appeal judgment affirmed held purpose ordinance prevent unsightly untidy offensive condition sidewalks distinguished lovell city griffin supra ground ordinance considered manifestly aimed prevention littering streets approved administrative construction ordinance police officials felt construction sustained validity said delivery handbills shown result littering streets distribution interfered ordinance city worcester massachusetts provides person shall distribute place upon street way placard handbill flyer poster advertisement paper description appellants distributed street leaflets announcing protest meeting connection administration state unemployment insurance throw leaflets sidewalk scatter leaflets handed threw sidewalk street result thirty lying appellants arrested charged violation ordinance superior worcester county rendered judgment conviction imposed sentence judicial overruled exceptions held ordinance valid regulation use streets sought thus distinguish one involved lovell city griffin supra said regulation referring ordinance said interferes way publication anything city worcester except excludes public streets ways places available free distribution leaves open distribution places city public private ordinance town irvington new jersey provides person except ordinance provided shall canvass solicit distribute circulars matter call house house town irvington without first reported received written permit chief police officer charge police headquarters enacts permit canvass shall specify number hours days effect canvasser must make application giving name address age height weight place birth whether previously arrested convicted crime employed address employer clothing worn description project vassing applicant shall fingerprinted photographed chief police shall refuse permit cases application investigation made officer discretion shows canvasser good character canvassing project free fraud canvassing may done canvasser must furnish photograph attached permit permittee must exhibit permit police officer person upon request must courteous persons canvassing must importune annoy town inhabitants conduct unlawful manner must expiration permit surrender police headquarters persons delivering goods merchandise articles regular course business premises persons ordering entitled receive exempted operation ordinance violation punishable fine imprisonment petitioner arrested charged canvassing without permit proofs show member watch tower bible tract society certified society one witnesses capacity called house house town hours day night showed occupants called testimony identification card signed society card stated leave booklets discussing problems affecting person interviewed contributing small sum person make possible printing booklets placed hands others card certified petitioner ordained minister sent forth society organized preach gospel god kingdom cited passages bible respect obligation preach petitioner left offered leave books booklets occupants houses visited apply obtain permit pursuant ordinance conscientiously believed act disobedience command almighty god petitioner convicted recorder common pleas affirmed judgment appeal affirmed errors appeals affirmed judgment held petitioner conduct amounted solicitation acceptance money contributions without permit held ordinance prohibiting action valid regulation aimed protecting occupants others disturbance annoyance preventing unknown strangers visiting houses day night overruled petitioner contention measure denies unreasonably restricts freedom speech freedom press errors appeals thought lovell city griffin supra controlling since ordinance case prohibited distribution printed matter limited ways might regarded consistent maintenance public order involving disorderly conduct molestation inhabitants misuse littering streets whereas ordinance involved aimed canvassing soliciting subjects embraced condemned lovell case said municipality may protect citizens fraudulent solicitation enacts ordinance persons required abide thereby ordinance question evidently designed purpose freedom speech press secured first amendment abridgment similarly secured persons fourteenth abridgment state although municipality may enact regulations interest public safety health welfare convenience may abridge individual liberties secured constitution wish speak write print circulate information opinion municipal authorities trustees public duty keep communities streets open available movement people property primary purpose streets dedicated long legislation end abridge constitutional liberty one rightfully upon street impart information speech distribution literature may lawfully regulate conduct using streets example person exercise liberty taking stand middle crowded street contrary traffic regulations maintain position stoppage traffic group distributors insist upon constitutional right form cordon across street allow pedestrian pass accept tendered leaflet guarantee freedom speech press deprive municipality power enact regulations throwing literature broadcast streets prohibition conduct abridge constitutional liberty since activity bears necessary relationship freedom speak write print distribute information opinion characterized freedom speech press fundamental personal rights liberties phrase empty one lightly used reflects belief framers constitution exercise rights lies foundation free government free men stresses many opinions importance preventing restriction enjoyment liberties every case therefore legislative abridgment rights asserted courts astute examine effect challenged legislation mere legislative preferences beliefs respecting matters public convenience may well support regulation directed personal activities insufficient justify diminishes exercise rights vital maintenance democratic institutions cases arise delicate difficult task falls upon courts weigh circumstances appraise substantiality reasons advanced support regulation free enjoyment rights lovell city griffin supra held void ordinance forbade distribution hand otherwise literature kind without written permission city manager opinion pointed ordinance limited obscene immoral literature advocated unlawful conduct placed limit privilege distribution interest public order aimed prevent molestation inhabitants misuse littering streets without limitation time place distribution said whatever motive ordinance bad imposed penalties distribution pamphlets become historical weapons defense liberty subjecting distribution license censorship ordinance void face abridged freedom press similarly hague ordinance held void face provided previous administrative censorship exercise right speech assembly appropriate public places los angeles milwaukee worcester ordinances review purport license distribution absolutely prohibit streets one public places well motive legislation attack numbers held courts prevention littering streets although alleged offenders charged scattering paper streets convictions sustained upon theory distribution encouraged resulted littering opinion purpose keep streets clean good appearance insufficient justify ordinance prohibits person rightfully public street handing literature one willing receive burden imposed upon city authorities cleaning caring streets indirect consequence distribution results constitutional protection freedom speech press constitutional protection deprive city power prevent street littering obvious methods preventing littering amongst punishment actually throw papers streets argued circumstance actual enforcement milwaukee ordinance distributor arrested receive literature throw streets renders valid even thus construed ordinance enforced without unconstitutionally abridging liberty free speech pointed public convenience respect cleanliness streets justify exertion police power invades free communication information opinion secured constitution suggested los angeles worcester ordinances valid operation limited streets alleys leaves persons free distribute printed matter public places said streets natural proper places dissemination information opinion one exercise liberty expression appropriate places abridged plea may exercised place affects others irvington ordinance drawn question construed affects like petitioner desire impart information opinion citizens homes covers petitioner activities equally applies one wishes present views political social economic questions ordinance limited canvass private profit merely common type ordinance requiring form registration license hawkers peddlers general ordinance prohibit trespassing bans unlicensed communication views advocacy cause door door permits canvassing subject power police officer determine censor literature may distributed house house may distribute applicant must submit officer judgment evidence good character absence fraud proposes promote literature intends distribute must undergo burdensome inquisitorial examination including photographing fingerprinting end liberty communicate residents town homes depends upon exercise officer discretion said lovell city griffin supra pamphlets proved effective instruments dissemination opinion perhaps effective way bringing notice individuals distribution homes people method communication ordinance imposes censorship abuse engendered struggle england eventuated establishment doctrine freedom press embodied constitution require censorship license makes impossible free unhampered distribution pamphlets strikes heart constitutional guarantees conceding fraudulent appeals may made name charity religion hold municipality reason require wish disseminate ideas present first police authorities consideration approval discretion police say ideas may others may carried homes citizens persons may others may disseminate information house house frauds may denounced offenses punished law trespasses may similarly forbidden said means less efficient convenient bestowal power police authorities decide information may disseminated house house may impart information answer considerations sort empower municipality abridge freedom speech press taken holding commercial soliciting canvassing may subjected regulation ordinance requires hold town may fix reasonable hours canvassing may done persons objects petitioner doubtless features activities may regulated public interest without prior licensing invasion constitutional liberty hold however ordinance question applied petitioner conduct void punished acting without permit judgment case reversed causes remanded proceedings inconsistent opinion ordered reversed remanded justice mcreynolds opinion judgment case affirmed footnotes account importance question granted certiorari two cases noted jurisdiction others schneider state new jersey young people state california snyder city milwaukee nichols commionwealth people young words superior adverted said traffic ideas friends lincoln brigade may planned meeting cards seem fall within classification commercial advertising rather expression one views conclusion thereby changed city milwaukee snyder commonwealth nichols town irvington schneider gitlow new york whitney california stromberg california grosjean american press de jonge oregon herndon lowry cf new york ex griffin averment proof cases appellants petitioners citizens young case applicable provisions municipal code challenged sole ground infringed due process clause fourteenth amendment cf new york ex rel cohn graves northwestern bell telephone nebraska state ry page grosjean american press supra page page de jonge oregon supra page page lovell city griffin supra page page