Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-06-01
SOCIAL lists TENDER
DEbS NOMINATION
IN Federal PRISON

For the first time in history a cam
didate for president of the United
States has been rendered the nomi-
nation and has accepted it while
prisoner in the penitentiary:.
The unique event occurred Satur-
day morning at the Atlanta federal
prison, when Eugene V: Debs. serv-
ing the second year of ten-year
sentence for violating the. espionage
law. formally was notified of his
nomination for the presidency on the
Socialist ticket by a delegation OF
leading Socialists who came from
New York to Atlanta for the pur-
pose.
BY the prison rule, Debs. could
issue no formal statement. but he
made a speech of acceptance, stand
ing in the office of the warden in
his blue prison clothes, while the
delegation occupied chairs in a circle
around him.
When the delegation arrived at
the prison, Debs kissed each one of
them. Then they posed for photogra-
piers and the movies on the prison
steps. The ceremony followed in the
warden's office. after which the re-
porters quilted the prison, leaving
Debs and his friends discussing party
affairs.
since last June. He was convicted in
the summer Of 1918 for violating the
espionage law in an adrdess he made
at Canton, o. The United States
Judge at Cleveland sentenced him to
ten years. The supreme court con
firmed the sentence in January, 1919,
and Debs was sent to prison at
Moundsville, w. Va, April 10, 1919.
He was transferred to the Atlanta
prison June 19, of the same year.
Recently Socialists presented to Pres
ident Wilson and Attorney General
Palmer a petition for an amnesty
calling for the liberation of hundreds
of political prisoners" including
Debs and other leaders Of the party.
Action on the petition now is pend
ing.
When the Socialist party held it's
convention in New York City, May
Is, Debs was nominated for presi-
dent. It was the fifth time the So
cialists have named him their candi-
date. A committee was appointed to
with the tender of the nomination,
and it was this committee which ar
rived in Atlanta early Saturday morn
ing.
Composing the committee were
Seymour Stedman, former Illinois
the Socialist ticket; James O'Neal,
associate editor of the New York
Call, Socialist organ, and a member
of the national Socialist executive
of the Socialist party in New York;
Otto Branstetter, secretary Of the
national Socialist executive commit
tee; and Mrs. DR.. Madge Patton
Stephens, of Terre Haute, Ind, Debs'
home town, who is a friend Of Debs
and his family.
Accompanying the party to the
prison were Samuel M. Cast1eton, At
lanta lawyer; Joseph Rhoden, Socia-
list organizer for the southeast; Will
liam Morris Feigenbaum, publicity
man for the Socialist party, and
c1uded, besides the Atlanta papers,
reporters for the Christian Science
Monitor, the Associated Press, the
United Press and the Macon Tele-
graph.
Debs Speaks
"Mr. Oneal and comrades" he said.
'you will understand that in my
present situation 1 am not able, on
account Of the prison rules, to issue
any formal acceptance Of the honor
you have SO kindly and generously
rendered me on behalf of the So
cia1ist party. Before accepting the
nomination you have just rendered
me. it is perhaps proper for me to
son that promoted me to permit the
use Of my name by delegates in the
convention in connection with the
candidacy for president of the United
States"
Mr.. Debs, reviewing the previous
nominations he had accepted, declar-
ed that only the good of the party,
which he considered paramount, per-
suaded him to be candidate now.
He had been told, he said, that it
ments in the party.
He spoke for about forty-five min
utes, slowly and deliberately. Most
of his address was taken up with a
discussion of the platform as adopted
at the recent, convention of Social
lists and of other party matters. He
said, however, a number Of strik-
ing things, among them:
Always Been q Radical
naval h nave a always wy been a radical,
been afraid of being too radical, but
l have feared to become too conserva-
tive. If We are right and know we
are right we cannot be too radi-
There is a tendency in the So
cialist party to become a party of
politicians instead of a party OF
workers. This ought not to be en-
couraged, but it ought to be checked
we are not in politics to get office,
cipation of the working class"
Before beginning to serve my
time here, I made several addresses
supporting the Russian revolution,
which I believe is the greatest sin
gle achievement in the history of
mankind. I said was a Bolshevik.
meant it then and I mean it now.
did not mean I was a Russian Boil
shevik in America. but that 1 was
fighting for the same thing in
America that they are fighting for
"The dictatorship of the prole-
tariat,' is simply a term which the
hostile press has used against us,
We are opposed to dictatorship of
any kind. We stand for freedom,
equal rights and Justice for all"
D Il am heartily in favor Of the
should, support it with all our
No Applause
We should withhold any criticism
In this campaign. I was sorry re-
Gently to read the speech of a COM
rade y, attacking congress. I shall not
attack them. admire them, for I
know they are as sincere in their
position as we are in ours. There are
mistakes made on both Sides"
Extremists have denounced me as
traitor. 1 shall not denounce them"
1--WE can develop a united party,
but we cannot do it by harshly crit1-
Debs concluded as follows: with
all my heart, I return thanks and
appreciation to you for the honor
you have done me. may not be
able to join you in the activities of
the campaign, but you can rest as
will breathe out through these bars
so that comrades will know my heart
beats with theirs
When Debs concluded. there was