The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-12-26
DEBS MEETS
DAUGHERTY
AT CAPITAL
Attorney General "Gives
No Advice; Is Asked
for None.

Washington, Dec. 26.-Eugene "
Debs, Socialist leader, whose 10
years sentence for violation of the
espionage act was commuted by
President Harding. effective Christ
mas day, arrived in Washington to-
day from Atlanta, where he was
confined in the federal penitentlary,
conferred half an hour with Attor-
ney-General Daugherty and then
went to the White house to call on
President Harding
Mr.. Daugherty, after the confer
ence, held at the department OF
jsutice, issued a statement saying
he hoped Debs may direct his tai
ents to a useful purpose" He add
ed that he had volunteered no ad-
vice to the Socialist leader and was
asked for none.
"I trust that the notoriety he
, Debs) has received may not be
commercialized, the attorney gen
erals statement asserted. Il say
this because l observe gathering
about him. and undertaking to pro-
mote 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 he is again a free man, the
ory erroneous in principle, should
not be CONNER cialiZed."
An understanding entered into
between Debs and Attorney Gen
eral Daugherty prior to the com
mutation of the Socialist leader
J 10-year sentence brought him tG
Washington before he went to his
Terre Haute Qnd.) home Ar
rangements have been made foI
him to see Mr.. Daugherty at II
O'clock at the department OF JUS
tice and later it was expected thai
he would call on President Hard
ing, although no appointment was
on the White house list.
Kisses His Friends.
The Socialist leader was met a.
the station by a small group Of
friends, both men and women, anC
newspapermen. He embraced sew
|, eraI of the men. kissing them re
! peatedly. He posed for a photo
graph and then went to a hotel IL
, an automobile lent by one of th'
, photographers One of his friend:
: presented him at the station with {
basket of fruit which he later ten
! dered to one of the newspapermen
The reporter declined it will
thanks.
Pending definite arrangement;
for conferences with government
officials, Mr.. Debs refused to tail
/ for publication, saying that wh1i'
he would like to give statemen
to newspapermen he deemed it in
advisable before he had seen Mr
Daugherty. He appeared in goot
spirits, but appeared cons1derabl.
older than when he toured tn
country as the Socialist candidat
for president
Rides Day Coach
The trip to Washington wa
made by the several times presi
! Dental candidate in a day coach, b
having surrendered the Pullman
, accommodations reserved for hin
+ for other uses with the benefits t
! go to Russian relief work.
= On reaching his hotel the Social
/ ist leader went to the barber sho
: and was shaved. He then at
y breakfast Mr.. Debs said that un
i til after his conferences here h
would be unable to say when h
would leave for his home In In
diana.
WIN See Gompers.
Debs' brother Theodore, VIII
! came to Washington with him. &C
companied him TO the department
OF Justice, where he was immedi
I ately ushered into the office of Nj
Daugherty. The two were in con
ference for some time and durin
that time it was learned that tn
| attorney general probably woul
! issue a statement during the day.
| The Socialist leader, it also wa
| later learned. would remain i
! washington until tomorrow morn
! ing, and would see Samuel Con
| pers, president of the America
| Federation of Labor, during tn