Question

Cracking down on dissent during World War I was part of what larger governmental goal in the United States?

Answer 1

Cracking down on dissent during World War I was part of the larger governmental goal in the United States of promoting war production domestically, since the US needed to supply a great number of weapons to Europe, as well as troops. 

Answer 2

The larger goal was uniting Americans around the war effort.

Cracking down on dissent would be a negative action in support of the larger, positive goal the government sought. The government wanted a fully united public in support of the war, and so it put out the message that that freedom of speech might have its limits in times of war.