Evening star., 1921-12-26
DEBS ARRIVES HERE
AND CONFERS WITH
ATTORNEY GENERAL
Socialist Leader Later Calls
at White House and
Meets President.
RESTORED CITIZENSHIP.
DECLARED TO BE SOUGHT
Release Held Unconditional-Mr.
Daugherty Will Issue Statement
Explaining Entire Case.


Communication of the sentence of
ten years of Eugene V. DebS. social
ist leader for violation OF the espion-
age act. was unconditional. Mr.. Debs
announced today following half
hours conference with Attorney Cen
eral Daugherty.
The Attorney General issued as
formal statement following the visit
of the socialist leader. in the course
of which he said that Debs came to
Washington from the federal prison
at Atlanta. from which he was re-
leased yesterday. on his own Voli-
ton. When the statement was read
for DebS in front of the Department
of Justice building. where he waited un-
til after the newspaper men had seen
Air. Dausherty the socialist leader said
that he was here at the invitation of
the Department of Justice. 1t was
SO strong an invitation. he said, that
hiS.tickct to Washington was bought
for him. and he was not consulted
as to his destination.
Meets Mr. DnuGherty.
Mr.. Dcbs break tasted at the Har-
rington Hotel. where he is stopping.
and shortly after 10 o'clock, accom-
panied by his brother Theodore. and
party of newspaper men. walked
1e the Department of Justice building.
He went west on + street to 18th
street and then north to the building
ct Vermont avenue and X street
There he stopped for Il moment to
dat th.A nh
Attorney General Daugherty had ar
rived at the department only few
minutes before. and said that he did
not know that Debs was coming to
see him. AS soon as DebS had posed
for pictures he went to the Attorney
Generals office into which he was
ushered Immediately. The conference
was only between the Attorney General
and Mr.. Debs Theodore Debs waited
outside.
Mr. Daugherty issued his statement
Immediately after NS~~Debs Ieftahis
office. in which he said that he would
give out his recommendations in the
Debs' case shortly, and said that he
had noted gathering about the leader
persons who have not the best IN
terestS of the country at heart.
Attorney Generals Statement.
The statement in full follows:
II have received call from Mr..
Debs. | volunteered no advice to
him and he asked none. There were
no unusual conditions attached to his
commutation. His call upon me was
of his own volition. l will shortly
give out for publication. with the
Presidents consent. my recommenda-
ton in the Debs case. My object in
doing this will be to refresh the
memory of the American people of
Debs' violations of the law and to
inform them of the reasons sfor his
commutation. | hope it will be edu-
Catonal to some extent.
Il have nothing further to say gre
garding DebS' call or regarding his
case except that l hope he may direct
his talents to useful purpose. And
| trust that the nctoriety he has
received may not be commercialized.
j say this because | observe gather
ing about him and Undertaking to
promote him persons who have not
the best interests of the country or
society at heart. His life's efforts
pursuing as he has until now, when
hH is again free man. a theory
erroneous in principle, should not be
commcrCialiZed.
Will Go to Indiana.
Debs said. after being shown the
Attorney Generals statement, that he
was going to return to Indiana tomor-
row. He said that there were no con-
ditions whatever attached to his COM
mutation of sentence, and that he in
tended to pursue the course as die
tatcd by his conscience to be proper.
During his walk from the hotel to
the Department of Justice and from
the latter place to the White House
the socialist leader was unrecogniZed.
In front of the Department of Justice,
where he faced a Solley of camera
snapshots small crowd of curious
people gathered. but few of them
knew that it was Debs who was the
center of attraction.
He plans to see Samuel Gompers.
president of the American Federation
of Labor, before he leaves town to-
morrow for his home at Terre Haute.
Confers With President.
Immediately after leaving the De-
partment of Justice Mr.. Debs called
at the White House and went into
conference with the President.
He was accompanied to the execu-
tive offices by his brother Theodore,
who has been with him since he was
released from the Atlanta peniten-
tiary; Miss Lucy Robbins of the
, American Federation of Labor and
Miss Cecilia Rotter, representing the
Debs Freedom League and probably
half a dozen or more friends and ad-
mirers. In front of the offices the So
cialist leader removed his hat and
posed for several photographs.
Arrived MT Q O'Clock.
Mr.. Debs arrived in Washington at
8 o'clock.
He was met at the station by a
small group of friends, both men and
women, and newspaper men. He en-
braced several of the men, kissing
themf repeatedly. He. posed for a
photograph, and then went to hotel
in an automobile loaned by one of the
photographers. One of his friends
presented him at the station with a
basket of fruit. which he later ten
dered to one Of the newspaper men.
The reporter declined it with thanks.
Pending definite arrangements for
conferences with government officials,
Debs refused to talk for publica tion.
saving that while he would like to
give a statement to newspaper men.
he deemed it inadvisable before he
had seen Mr.. Daugherty. He appeared
in good spirits. but apparently con-
(confinusd Sn FaGe 2, Column y