New-York tribune., 1921-12-24

paroled, at least two will be deported
and two are in asylums for the
insane.
Citizenship Not Restored
The citizenship of those convicted
of felonies is not restored by the
Presidents action, although the
citizenship of the five pardoned SOL
diers is given back to them. President
Harding announced the combinations
and pardons.
This statement of the Presidents
attitude toward Debs was issued at the
White House:
There is no question of his guilt
and that he actively and purposely OBJ
structed the draft. In fact, he ad-
mitted it at the trial, but sought 10
Justify his action. lie was by no
means, however, as rabid and out
spoken in his expressions as many
others, and but for his prominence
and the resultant farreaching effect
OF his words very probably might not
nave received the sentence he did. He
is an old man, not strong physically.
tie is man Of much personal charm
and impressive personality, which
qualifications make him a dangerous
man, calculated to mislead the un-
thinking, and affording excuse for
those with criminal intent"
This statement was issued relative to
others to be releasd:
The list Ill the main is made m of
those who opposed the war in one way
or another, and it is made up Of less
than third of I. W. w. prisoners, and
these have either expressed full peni-
tence or are booked for deportation.
The Department of Justice has given
no recommendation in behalf of the
advocates of sabotage or the destruc-
tlon of government by force, and the
President let it be known he would not
consider such cases. In addition to the
five soldiers on the list, many other
cases are under consideration.
Debs Case Long Studied
The President and the Attorney Gen
eral had given very extended consid-
Grafton to the Debs petition, and it is
known that the fact that he had twice
been the Presidential choice of a mil
lion of voters had it's influence in
reaching decision favorable to his re-
lease.
"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
q rf oI i. -
The vast majority of so-called political
prisoners still imprisoned are the |. w
w. group, are rarely American citizens
and have no good claim to executive
clemency. number of convicted
citizens have never been imprisoned
owing to appeals under bond. There
are also many thousands of indict-
ments under war legislation still pend
ing. These do not come under execu-
tive consideration"
Debs was convicted at Cleveland OF
violating the espionage act and sen.
fenced September IA, 1918, to ten years
in the state penitentiary at Mounds.
vile, w. Va. An appeal was taken tt
the Supreme Court of the United
States, where the judgment was af
firmed March 10, 1el9, and Debs begar
his sentence April 12, 1919, in the West
Virginia penitentiary, but was later
transferred to the United States Peni
tentiary at Atlanta, where he is now
confined. He would have been eligible
for parole August II, 1922. His term
with allowances for good conduct
would have expired December 26, 1925
Debs has been in prison more than two
years and eight months.
The soldiers pardoned are:
Carl j. Bryan, James A. Odell, Ro,
Youngblood, George Van Glider and j
B. Richardson, service men in tn,
American army on the Rhine, sentenced
for life By military court for KILN.
George Lancefeld, former British of
ficer
Others Freed with Debs
Persons whose sentences are com
muted are:
Charles Ashleigh, convicted at Chi
cago in 1918 of conspiracy to violat
the espionage act, was sentenced t
Imprisonment for ten years and to pa
a fine of $4,000. He is an Englishmar
who came to this country in 1912. H
associated with Haywood in tn
W. w. He was writer and speake
of some note
Orvile Anderson, convicted at Dead
wood, S. d., in 1918 of violation of tn
espionage act, was sentenced to fou
years and fine of $1,000 He was no
an !. w. w., but was guilty of maxim
public statements calculated to preven
enlistment in the army. 1t was test
fed that he criticized the President a
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