New-York tribune., 1919-04-08
Interference With the Nor.
NAL Course of Justice a
Crievous Wrong to the
{ ountry, He Insists
Disloyal Acts Reviewed
Man Who Defies the Law
Must BE Made to Respect
1t, He Says i'm Statement

WASHINGTON. April 7.-Attorney
General Palmer announced tonight
that he would oppose strongly any eff
fort to obtain executive clemency for
Eugene V. Debs, the Socialist leader,
sentenced to ten years imprisonment
for violation Of the espionage act. The
Attorney General said he had received
several communications urging him to
recommend clemency for Debs.
Mr.. Palmer said he believed his duty
to be clear and was convinced that he
would be doing grievc.s wrong to
the country and striking blow at law
enforcement should be adopt "any
course which would interfere with the
normal administration OF justice in this
case"
The statement follows:
Eugene V. Debs has filed no petition
with either the President or the Attor
ney General asking for the exercise Of
executive clemency. The facts in his
case are such that until such petition
be made by him ! should not feel called
upon to consider making any recon-
mendations in his case. Debs was con-
victed not because of his political or
economic views, but because he plainly
violated the law of the land.
Canton Speech Quoted
"On June 1S, 1918, during the most
critical period of the war; Debs made
a public speech at Canton( Ohio, in
which he urged that wage-earners re-
Train from giving any aid to the Ameri
can nation in the war, asserting that
the war was brought on and conducted
solely in the interestof capitalists, told
his audience that they needed to know
that they were fit for something bet
ter than slavery and cannon-fodder,'
held up to admiration as martyrs to
the cause of labor a number of persons
who had been convicted for violating
the draft act and urged wage-earners
to stand together as a class to prevent
the success of our countr yin the war.
''ln his address to the jury Debs
said: Il have been accused of obstruct-
ing the war. | admit it. Gentlemen,
] abhor war. | would oppose the war
if stood alone
"He was given fair trial by jury
The charge of the trial judge was
eminently fair and, on appeal to the
Supreme Court of the United States.
that court, by a unanimous decision,
affirmed the judgment of convisction.
Both prior and subsequent to the
delivery of the speech mentioned Debs
had on numerous occasions publicly
urged wage carriers to adhere to the
so-called st. Louis programme of the
anti-war faction of the Socialist party
adopted in April 1917 This document
asserted that participation of the
United States in the war against Ger
many could not be justified, branded
the declaration of war by the American
people of the United States, declared
that in all modern history there had
been no war more unjustihable and
urged continuous, active and public
opposition to the war
Following the action of the Su-
preme Court the defendant has in
dulged in violent public criticism of
the American courts of justice and
practically defed the power of the
government to administer the law
against him. In a public speech made
t Cleveland, March 12, he said: With
every drop in my veins / despise their
Jaw and l defy them A few days ago
he declared that if an attempt is made
10 imprison him he will have a general
strike called in support of his atti-
tude.
Respect for Law Demanded
"In this situation my duty is clear.
Respect for the law and our institu-
tions is the basis upon which every
application for executive clemency
must rest. Open defiance of the law
and threat of force to obstruct it's
orderly administration call for only
one answer. The law must be re-
spected and obeyed. To make sure Of
that it must be enforced. | would be
doing a grievous wrong to the coun-
try and striking blow at law en-
forcement if | adopted any course
which would interfere with the normal
administration of justice in this
case
Application for a respite preliminary
TO petition for pardon was received
at the White House last week. At that
time it was said the application would
he referred to the Attorney General,
but that it had not yet been communi-
h Gated to the President. The request
was signed by Frank p Walsh, Alan