Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1920-06-05
STRANGE CASE OF MIR. DEBs.


tudc In the Atlanta Ponitentiary for
making Il speech, III which he used
language that was regarded as treas
enable. 1t savorcd of the old time spli.
-; of intolerance and made marty.
OF a man, who otherwise might have
sunk into insignificance and have
Teen forgotten. This view has been
emphasized by recent Happenings
whom the Socialist Party in regular
convention assembled nominated him
again for tho position of President
c' the United States.
There must have been consterna.
tor at Atlanta and Washington,
When it was known that a commit.
zee of notification would wait on
oebs in prison and tender to him
the honor while he stood inside OF
the prison gates in dishonor. Eugene
V. Debs spoke and among other
td:ngs, he is quoted as saying:
Il have always been a radical,
never more SO than now | have
never been afraid Of being too radical
but have feared to become too
conservative. There is q tendency
in the socialist party of workers.
This ought to be checked. We are
not in politics to. get office, but to
achieve the industrial emancipation
OF the working class"
He enunciatcs the bedrock prin.
cirle Of his activity. He is n reform.
or. champion of the working class
ea. He is radical. If he believes
in these doctrines. he should declare
his position and take the consc.
Taences. All great reformers have
Gone the same thing. We do not sub,
scribe to Mr.. Debs' tenets or believe
In his theories, but In a free country
he has a right to state his beliefs
ana In proper way seek TO convert
the electorate to his way Of think
ing realizing that truth fears Moth
ing but concealment. But this IS an
age, in which little men hold sway
ahG when ''men will not stand sound
doctrine" Mr.. Debs is quoted furth
er:
Before beginning to serve my time
mere / made several addresses SUP
porting the Russian revolution which
believe is the greatest single
achievement in the history of man
kind. said | was bolshevik. 7
meant 1t then and I mean it now.
ala not mean | was a Russian bolshe-
Vik in America, but I was fighting
Tor the same thing in America that
they are fighting for in Russia. The
dictatorship of the proletariat' Is
simply term which the hostile press
had used against us. We are op-
posed to dictatorship of any kind.
we stand for freedom, equal rights
and justice for all"
The primary purpose of all crimi
'al punishment is to separate the vic
,aus from the body polite and to
fefo1m these enemies OF society.
What prospect is there to do either
In such case OF this, when the
prisoner is not conscious of having
zone any wrong or of having com
mitted any crime against society?
Whether it is true or not and wheth-
c. or not he crrs in his beliefs, he
IS nevertheless a philosopher, n lcalcr
Il man who has the interests of the
ir"ustrial elements foremost i'm his
Heart. He is quoted further:
Il am heartily. in favor of the
RUSSIAN revolution and think we
should support it With all our power.
with all my heart I return thanks
and appreciation to you for the honor
You have done me. l may not be
able to join in the activities of the
campaign, but YOU can rcst assured
that, If | am here, my spirit will
breathe out through those bars so
that comrades will know my heart
beats with theirs" -
1T seems to us that the Depart
H4tnt OF Justice has done more to
Further the cause of social reform
ana to promote the interests of So
calism by incarcerating the leader
II the great party than could have
seen done by any other method. In
France, Germany and Great Britain
Socialists are not only tolerated, but
sH&nted the right of free speech. In
TIE United States of America, they
arc prosecuted and denied represen-
tation In representative form of
Government. But then. why should
It concern us? We are afiliated with
the Republican Party. Selah.