The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1921-12-27
DEBS SMILES
AFTERCALLMC
ON PRESIDENT
Tall and Gaunt Old Man
Pleads for Others Still
In Prison.
LEAVES TODAY
FOR TERRE HAUTE
Assured by Daugherty
That His Release Is
Unconditional.

Having paid his official call. on
the President and Attorney Gen.
ersl and having told them both
that he could not be expected to
depart from his principles. convic-
ttons and ideals" Eugene V. Debs,
veteran Socialist leader. is ready
to go home to Terre Hsute. Ind
He expects to leave Warrington
this evening at $50 in order to be
I'm Terre Haute tomorrow afternoon
in time for the celebration in his
honor. His brother. Theodore Debs,
viii accompany him together with
close associates in the Socialist
movement.
Whether or not the President and
the Attorney General asked Debs
TO come to Washington that they
might hear this expression of pur-
pose from his own lips. is a matter
OF conjecture even for Debs him.
self.
Pleased With Interviews.
Both President Harding and At
torney General Daugherty were
waiting to see him. and the half
hours conversation with each in
sptred only smiles of apparent
7HNotiOh lEOnn lne llOeTdleu
man
Was 1t the product of a dramatic
sense that prompted the Attorney
General to wire the warden of At
lanta prison. a request to send Debs
to Washington before allowing
him to go home to his wife?
His travelling companions believe
the stop-over at Washington was
designed by oficials here to fore
stall the welcoming demonstration
in Terre Haute which was staged
for Monday night.
Welcomed by Camera Men.
The demonstration was forestalled
in Te>re Haute but transmitted TO
Washington. From the moment he
stepped from his train at Union
Station at 9 o'clock yesterday morn
ing until he entered his. hotel after
the oficiaI conferences, the tall.
gaunt man with Infectious smile
received the silent welcome of cam
erss and the press. Neither bells
nor banners marked his path. The
bsggy suit and overcoat given him
by the prison, together with the
gavKy prison-made shoes. would
have grotesqued his figure and
aroused popular emotions of COM
mingled pity and amusement.
Instead, Gene Debs, although he
is Sc and of a venerable kindness
Cthe youngest of his travelling COM
panions. the reporters and Socialist
delegates. both men and women. al
ways called him by his first name),
walked to the Department of Justice
from his hotel and walked again
from the Department OF Justice to
the White House, and from there
back to his hotel. And ill-content
with this. having admitted that he
slept like a panther Sunday night,
he took a turn through the parks
Of the neizhborhood with his brother
Theodore.
DauEkerty Issues Statement.
Movie men greeted him at every
stopping place. women came up,
asked TO be kissed by him, and
called down the blessing of God,
while he complied with their re-
quests.
This was both my entrance and
nv exit" he commented as he en-
tered the Department of Justice
The Attorney General was waiting
lfor him. His companions spent the
interval Of the conference in specu-
lation. Five minutes after Debs had
gene. the Attorney General issu.d
statement:
II have received a call from Mr.
Debs. volunteered no advice and
he asked none. There were, OF
course. no unusual conditions at
tached to his Communication. His
Ycsn upon me was Of his own voli-
tion. will shortly give out>for
publication, with the Presidents
consent. my recommendation in the
! Debs case. My object in doing this
will be to refresh the memory Of the
American people of Debs' violation
Of the law, and to inform them of
the reasons for his Communication. I
hope IL will be educational to some
extent.
warns Against Explofters.
"I have nothing further to say
regarding Debs' call or regarding
his case except that hope he may
direct his talents to a useful purH
pose. And I trust that the notoriety
he has received may not be CONNER
cialized- I say this because I OBJ
serve gathering about him and
undertaking to promote him persons
who have not the best interests OF
nrhe country or society at heart
fis life's efforts. pursuing as he has
ptil now when he Is again a free
IN. a theory erroneous in principle,
build not be commercialized"
This was read to Debs outsid,
department building as the
OWE men ground out their "sto-
es," but he still smiled. and said,
came in response to the invitation
Z Mr.. Daugherty." Men who said
hey were schoolmates OF the liber-
ed Socialist. grasped his hand and
fshed him godspeed- The walk to
e White House was another SIM
procession. with Debs' tattered
ack slouch hat rising above the
bah bodyguard.
Enters As Taft Leaves.
i've never been to the White
fouse before" he replied to one
,ho jestingly pointed IL out for
i'm. You know tried to get
here once. but I landed in At
lants
Jxst as Dcbs entered. Chief Jus
trcsTaft left. Neither man noticed
The presence of the other. 1t was
INST a curious side-play of his visit.
once settled in his hotel again.
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