Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-02-01
The Daha C0eA

dat. on the Socialist ticket for the |
Presidency, was found guilty by
Federal jury at Cleveland. Ohio. Sep |
tember IL. 1918, of violation Of the |
Espionage act by melting insubordina-
t,on In the military forces and obstruct- |
ing recruiting. The higher courts al
frned the decision Of tho lower one.
and Debs was duly incarcerated In the
Federal penitentiary at Atlanta for ten
years.
Since Dcbs was placed behind the
bars an organized effort has been made
by labor groups. tho Socialist party. and
various radical circles to hsvs him
pardoned. Even quite a few conserVa-
two newspapers have taken UP Debs'
cause, and have pleaded for his release.
Now comes the news that a special
board reviewing all convictions under
| the Espionage act has recommended his
! release. and that Attornsy-Generai
! Palmer has endorsed the boards find
ing. But still more important is the
/
Wilson has refused to commute Debs
sentence.
At first sight this decision by Presi-
dent Wilson seems q bit harsh. Many
| of the Presidents critics will be inclined
to say that he is peevish. and Delights
In seeing his opponents suffer. various
| and sundry charges will be hurled at
his head. no doubt, by the frienas Oh
I cl,s. and by that section OF tho press
which has grown to believe that free-
dom OF speech means libertinish
ncsuse to do and say those things
u,nsoh imperiI the welfare OF tho Ma
ton.
When a calm Analysis Is made oil
mis- c,sA- and when all tao facts are
taIsan into consideration. the average
thoughtful man win endorse the acuohs
az President Wilson In this matter. Ills
saciston certainly should be upheio py
that great mass of people who believe
the RaplIbnc must always be protecten
from traitors within and enemies WITH
o1f
The espionage act was passed TOT
.the defense OF the realm, as our
Rrttish friends would say. After its
MASSAGE Debs. who had violently oppos-
"A Americas entry into the war. con-
.,,,,oa IN arsau not only the aduatnistra-
ton. but the government as Wei ne
WAS repeatedly warned that his words
were traitorous. and that II he expected
70 maintain his liberty that he would
have 10 do one of two things-either
leave the country. or else keep ms
mouth shut.
pebs. who in private life is "a sweet
te,npered idsalist who dreams oeauu-
ftil dreams that never can come uue'
.uddenlv saw himself IN the light OF a
1eaaer chosen by some Higher Power 20
,aaa what he termed the Oppressed
people" TO freedom. That his words
ard actions were irrperilling tnose
people. and increasing their chances OK
becoming slaves to the German empire
concerned him little He and those
who thought like him were being perse-
c,,ted. SO he chose TO make a martyr
Of himself.
Finally. when IT was seen that peos
; VIA. really obstructing the draft AND
was inciting opposition to the operation
. Of the Graft boards. he was given ias'
-a-n,np This made Debs believe that
b,s hour OF r1lartyrT1om had come. Either
ha muse renounce his beliefs or else
stand forth as man willing 10 die foT
: his faith. So he made one more violent
attack upon the Government OF the
United States
This was too much The Govern
noent had been lenient with him Ihe
c,vernu,ent had warned him time and
again that his actions and speeches
: were becoming traitoroUs. and tha' ne
: must keep sglsnt. But he would no'
,seep silent SO there was nothing 10 nc
but TO bring him TO trial
J y has been said that his trial Wa
conducted during the feverish moments
Q Of war. when all the nation was STIRRED
> -, 7, ha. been charged that al excited
iury convicted him. But II must oe
: remembered that the higher courts re
s viewed his case IN days OF leisure ane
4 hours OF calm which followed the oes-
3 cation Of the conflict And the higher
q co,r+s ,,uheld the decision Of the lower
Z one.
The friends Of Dabs, In their efforts
s IN have him released. have argued tina
e Great Britain. France, italy. Belgium
> and even Germany have released thei
so-caIled political" prisoners such L
o -r-,a But those friends forget tha
-x+ner, the war was oysr only men an'
x.-oynen convicted o. minor crime
?. apa,,st the governments abroad wer'
i'm prison. AL the rest-especiail!
/, those who Ike Debs. had oostructe
q their Governments war operations
had been lined up against stone wall
Il and shot months before.
Arnerics was not as harsh on be
- traitors as were the foreign govern
g vnents America executed mons OF then
II our country merely incarcersieo tnen
n Had Dsbs been a FrenchnaAn. or a
y Fneli.hn,sn. even, he would have bee
70 shot the first time he attacked hi
Government. But America was YER
n 1enient with him. and he was Per
.r r,itt.6 10 remain at large until II wa
d sean that he was becoming q positiv
ID menace.
L, President Wilson is absolutely r1gh
Is IN maintaining that If Debs is psrdone
,r bsfore his term is concluded, that sue
action will serve as an Incentive &c
o+bsr. 70 obstruct the Government IL "
n vy~r II would the