The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1909-05-06
EUGENE '. DEBS
RAPS ROOSEVELT
Makes Reply to Former President
for Attack on Socialism-Uses
Harsh Word lie"

TERRE HAUTE. Ind. May 6.-Lis-
ten TO the hot and bitter words OF
Eugene " Debs, defeated American
presidential candidate. directed at ex-
President Roosevelt:
"Theo. Hoosevelt's attack on Social
ism. his first contribution to Outlook.
was silly and his statements were pal
pably false. His argument Is tthe
same old, threadbare objection that
has been parroted by capitalist apollo
gists and retainers for, 20 years. He
shows that he knows nothing of the
subject. His charge that Socialism
approves free love- is wantonly mali
cious. He condemns great party be-
cause one member OF II divorced his
wife and married another woman. Mr..
Roosevelt's principal political precep-
tor, an eminent Republican. at the
very time that Roosevelt sat at his
feet, was carrying on liaison which
eliminated in a public scandal. How
is It, Mr. Roosevelt, that your virtu-
GUS indignation was not outraged by
this exhibition of moral leprosy in
your own personal and political house
hold?"
Debs, a resident of this city, has
much more than this to say to T. r.
In answer to the former presidents
blast against Socialism. He answers
Roosevelt categorically. Here are
some of his points:
The man whose misfortune Roose-
welt seized upon to fix immortality
upon a party with half a million fol-
lowers In the United States, was mar
ried while boy and later realized to
his unspeakable sorrow that he did
not love the woman He did what
thousands of Republicans have done.
Prostitution Is never so vile as when
practiced with the marriage relation A."
The charge that advanced Social
lists oppose private property and are
hostile to religion and morality is
false. Socialists are not opposed to
private property except in the means
OF life. Capitalism, which Roosevelt
defends. makes private property i'm.
possible to the masses by confiscating
their products. II Is capitalism that
defles religion and destroys morality
Roosevelt writes a vicious and
damnable lie when he says that the
leaders of our party uphold the posi-
ton Of instituting free love for mar
ried life. He gives no word of proof
to support this wanton insult. and
throw the foul calumny back into his
teeth"
Socialism. Mr.. Roosevelt, means in.
dustrial democracy, self-rule and all
the forces of evolution are working
TO that end. We are going TO At our.
selves by education TO take control OF
industry"
Roosevelt says our party would
disband IL we. the leaders. should at.
tempt to force our followers to admit
to equality all Negroes and Cinnamon
He has never read our platform or
he would not make such show OF
himself. We today damit to member.
ship men and women of all races and
nationalities.
IF the charges Roosevelt makes
against me could be supported should
be i'm the penitentiary. have not the
distinction of having invented a spiked
I policeman's club, OF having thrown a
gray-naired mother out OF my domi-
cile, entertaining prizeighters. thugs
and gun toters, charging up San Juan
hill by proxy. OF having settled coal
strike on terms which operators want
made perpetual denouncing a man as
scoundrel and taking his campaign
contributions after writing we are
practical men, OF of publicly condemn
! ing men. In the shadow of the gallows
who we're later declared innocent"
Debs ridicules Roosevelt for saying
that his articles were written from
the standpoint of wage earners and
farmers. He says that Roosevelt sent
I troops to Croton Dam To crush wage
earners who had struck TO have a state
/ law regulating hours enforced lie
threatened the striking teamsters oil
! Chicago. His sympathy is with the
capita list'
Debs SAYS that Roosevelt had sever
years and the national machine to put
an end 70 brutal wrong-doing' and tc