Bisbee daily review. [volume] (Bisbee, Ariz.) 1901-1971, 1921-12-24
PARD0NED
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list, many other cases are un.er con-
sideration.
No comment was made by the
president on the case OF Debs. The
president and the attorney general
had given very extenceo, conslGera-
ton to the .Debs petition, and it is
known that the fact that he had
twice been the presidential nominee
of million of voters had its inriu-
ence in reaching a decision favorable
to his release"
THE president expressed the wish
that it be stated that the grant of
clemency in the cases acted upon
does not question the justice of any
action of the courts in enforcing the
law in a time of national peril, but
he feels the ends of justice have been
fairly met in view of the changed con
ditions.
Declares 0ebbs Dangerous
The vast majority of so-called po-
litical prisoners still imprisoned are
the |. w. w. group, are rarely Amer
lean citizens and have no good claim
to executive clemency. A number of
convicted citizens have never been
imprisoned owing to appeals under
bond. There are also many thousands
OF indictments under war legislation
still pending. These do not come I'M
der executive consideration"
A supplementary White House
statement on the Debs case further
amplified the view taken by the pres
ident:
There is no question of his guilt
and that he actively and purposely
INSTRUCTED the draft" this statement
said.
In fact, he admitted it at the trial
but sought to justify his action. He
was by no means, however as rabid
and outSpOken in his expressions as
many others, and but for his promi-
nence and the resultant far reaching
effect of his words, very probably
might not have received the sentence
he did. He is an old man, not strong
physically. He is a man of much per
sonal charm and impressive person
ality which qualifications made him
dangerous man, calculated to mis-
lead the unthinking and affording
! excuse for those with criminal in
tent:
One woman, Mrs. IdeH Kennedy,
convicted at Los Angeles of hinder
ing the selective service act, by ar
ranging with an oculiSt to furnish ma
tional army men with eye glasses
which distorted their vision and
/ made them unfit for army service
was included in the list, with nota-
! ton that President Wilson previous
| ly had reduced her sentence from J
to 3 years on condition that she be
/ placed in sanitarium for the insane.
| Draft Dodgers Freed
/ Claus F'reese, who was convicted at
FL Paso, Tex, in 1918, the summary
! said. attempted to sell to a German
! consul in Mexico plans of a gun which
| the American army was expected to
! use. although he contended that the
! plans were impracticable and that he
! was trying to play a Yankee trick
on the diplomatic agent.
Joseph Sour. formerly a practicing
attorney at indianapolis. and Maurice
( l.. Snitkin, were two cases coupled
| together in President Harding's com
mutations, both men having been in
! volved in conspiracy to see eXemp
j tiOns to young men who had beer
! summoned to army service in New
York Each was sentenced to sin
/ years in prison, but were released
parole August 2j
Among the l. w. w. prisoners re
leased was Charles Ashleigh, a writ
! er of poetry and speaker, who has
served two years of a 10 year term
( and will be deported to his native
| country. England Giovanni Baldazz
Of Chicago. who was manager Of II
Proletdrio." an Italian paper conduct
ed by the I. w. w. was also released