Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1921-12-24
THE PARDON OF E

Eugene ". Dcbs is to be released from prison
on Christmas day by order of the president. The
announcement will be received with mingled feel
ings. The American public is not generally interest
ed in Debs as an individual, but because of the con-
spicuous position which he held in the ranks of So
cialism, and because of the fact that his counsel and
leadership were accepted by radicals in general, his
case has attracted wider attention than it would
have done had the individual been less we'll known.
Had he been inconspicuous, his release would have
been regarded with general indifference. AS it is,
it will be attended by unfortunate features.
In spite of the demonstrated facts in the case,
in spite of the admissions of Debs himself, and in
spite OF his continued attitude during the months OF
his Imprisonment, the theory is vigorously main
tanned that he was sent to prison because OF his po-
litical opinion. There arc thousands of men whose
opinions arc as radical as those of Debs, who 90 far
beyond him in their views as to political and eco
nomic subjects, who arc and have been at large,
against whom no accusation has ever been brought,
and who have expressed and will continue to ex-
press their opinions without interference from
courts, administrators, or members of the general
public. Debs, was equally free to express himself,
and he had expressed himself for years with perfect
freedom and without interference. The offense for
which he was sent to prison was not that of enter
tanning certain beliefs with reference to the political
organization of the nation or to its economic policy.
He urged men whose services were needed BY the
nation and who were lawfully commanded by the
nation to render those services to refuse to do so.
He did this at a time when the nation was at war
and when, in accordance with law, every effort was
being made to marshal its utmost power in order to
prosecute the part of the war which it had under
taken. Debs defied the nation, and continued open
an arrogant III his defiance. He never denied the
acts with which he had been charged. In open court
he admitted them. He never charged that his trial
had been conducted unfairly. He admitted that his
conviction was in accord with the evidence, and the
evidence he did not dispute. Nevertheless, it was
urged and will continue to be urged that he was a
martyr to his political opinions, and the occasion of
his homecoming will undoubtedly be made much of
for the exploitation Of socialistic doctrines and for
the streng. hening of radical opinions. 1t will be
maintained that in pardoning him., the government
has admitted that it has done him a " wrong, and no
amount of denial will silence such assertions.
No wrong has been done Debs. He was right
ully charged and ~rightfully convicted, and the SEN
tence imposed on him was in accordance with law
and justice. There could have been no complaint
from any reasonable source had he been required to
serve out the full term for which he was sentenced.
The pardon which has been decided on is a free act
on the part of the government, and whether a mis-
taken act or not, it is not a confession of wrong
doing on, the part of the nation. Unfortunately it
will be SO construed, and the question remains
whether because of this it would not have been
wiser to continue his imprisonment for a longer
period and until a time when mercy could have been
shown without so strong a probability of miscon-
struction.