Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-04-08
DEBS WILL GET
No CLEMENCY At
HANDS Of PAINE R
SAYS STATEMENT
Attorney General Declares De-
fendant Admitted His Guilt
and Has Shown No Repent
ance Since Conviction
OPEN VIOLATION OF
LAW MUST BE ENDED
Recalls Deb's Scorn of Courts
and His Declaration That He
DeSpiSed the Law of United
States and DeIied 1t,

Washington, April 7.-Attorney
General Palmer announced in state
ment tonight that he would oppose
strongly any effort TO OBTAIN execu-
tive clemency for Eugene V. Debs. the
socialist leader sentenced to ten years
Imprisonment for violation of the es-
pionage act, The attorney general
said he had received communications
urging hi INTO recommend clemency
for Debs.
Mr.. Palmer said he believed his
duty in the Debs case to be clear, and
was convinced that he would be do
ing a grievous wrong to the country
and striking a blow at law enforce
ment," should he adopt "any course
which would interfere with the nor
NAL administration of justice in this
case"
The statement issued by the attor-
ney general follows
eugene V. Debs has filed no petit
ton with either the president or the
attorney general asking for the exer-
cising 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 max
ing any recommendations In his case.
Debs was convicted not because of
his political or economic views but
because he plainly violated the law.
"On June IS, 1918, during the most
critical period of the war, Debs made
a public speech at Carton, o., in
which he urged that wage earners rea
frain from giving any aid to the
American nation in the war, assert
ing that the war was brought on and
conducted solely in the interest of
capitalists, told his audience that they
needed to know that they were fit
for something better than slavery and
cannon fodder, held up to admiration
as martyrs to the cause of labor a
large 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 sue
cess of our country in the war.
Debs Admitted Guilt.
'In his address to the jury, Debs
said: i have been accused of OBJ
structing the war. l admit 1t. Gen
tlemen, | abhor war. | would oppose
the war if | stood alone
"He was given a fair trial by jury
The charge of the trial judge was EN-
lnenty lalf, anu on appeal 10 tne Su
preme court of the United States, that
court by a unanimous decision, af-
firmed the Judgment of conviction.
Both prior and subsequent to the
delivery of the speech mentioned
Debs had on numerous occasions pub
licly urged wage earners to adhere to
the so-called st. Louis program of the
anti-war faction Of the socialist party
adopted in April, 1917. This document
asserts that participation of the Unit
ed States in the war against Ger
many could not be justified branded
the declaration of war by the Ameri-
can government as crime against
the people of the United States, de-
clared that in all modern history
there had been no war more unjusti-
fable and urged continuous, active
and public opposition to the war
Has Abused Courts.
Following the action of the su-
preme court, the defendant has in
duIged In violent public criticism of
the American courts of justice and
practically defied the power of the
government to administer the law
against him. In public speech made
(Continued on Page Two.)