Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1921-12-23
Expected to Head Group of
90 or 80 Political
Prisoners
NO GENERAL AMNESTY
Usual Christmas Pardons Not to In
clude Any Member of the |. W. W..
In Federal Prison

Washington, dec. 23.-PreSldehl
Harding will announce tomorrow the
list Of political prisoners" toward
whom he will extend executive Glenn
ency, and it is confidently believed in
official circles tonight that at the head
of the group will be Eugene V. Debs,
several times Socialist candidate Tor
the presidency.
Perhaps 40 or so other offenders,
convicted of violations Of war laws,
will be freed it is intimated today, but
it is added that this list will not IN
clude any imprisoned member OF the
international Workers Of the World,
q class of convicts not regarded by
the president as political prisoners.
No general amnesty will be pro-
claimed. Mr.. Harding mas turned his
face squarely against any sweeping
measure of clemency, taking the posi-
ton that each of the 200 odd men now
serving time for obstructlng war pro-
cesses should be judged individually.
The department of justice, however,
has reported to the White House upon
the whole number, and the president
has devoted as much as seven hours
at sitting studying the individual
cases.
The fate of Debs is more interest
ing to the country as a whole than
any other now before the president.
His admirers and defenders made
vigorous drive in his behalf while Mr..
Wilson was president, but failed to
convince the then executive that
Debs was entitled to any special con-
sideration. Mr.. Harding likewise has
delayed action upon this case until
the Socialists leaders, sentence was
about to expire on a "good time
basis.
If the president follows what is
believed to be the recommendation OF
Acknowledgement Daugherty he will
commute the sentence of Debs to ex-
pire Immediately, but will not grant
pardon. Failure to pardon Debs
would deprive him of his citizenship
and bar him forever from holding
public office under the government.
On the eve of White House action
! in the case of strictly political pris-
oners members Of the Civil Liberties
Union and the General Amnesty Com
mittee forwarded an eleventh-hour
petition to the president in behalf OF
/ convicted members of the |. ". W.,
! protesting against any distinction
being drawn between the members OF
this radical organization and other
prisoners serving sentences for SINH
lar offenses.
Unless the president changes his
mind overnight, however, it can be
stated authoritatively that he will
not deal with any of the l. W. w. pc
titions when he makes his Christmas
gift Of clemency. In segregating the
l. w. VS. for other wartime prison
ers the president is supported by the
encouragement.
Today's communication to the presi-
dent from the Joint Amnesty Com
mittee, in part, follows:
1--WE are at loss to understand
(any such distinction between prison
ers convicted of identical offenses
and we enter our earnest protest
against such discrimination. Every
HlCtilUSl VI llC l. W w c1S q tCSuiI Va
the conspiracy cases at Chicago and
Wichita is in precisely the same posi-
|tion under the law as Eugene "
$Debs and others convicted under the
= Espionage act. The court records are
clear and unmistakable on this point.
"Not single l. w. W. is in prison
on conviction of sabotage or vio-
lence. All of them are now serving
sentences solely on that portion of
their indictment which charged them
- with conspiring to violate the espion-
age act by expressing opinions against
the war. If this fact does not admit
each and every one of the I. ". W.
members to the class of political pris-
oners, may we ask what would? How
can they legally or morally be denied
precisely the same consideration as is
accorded Eugene Y. Debs and others
classed by the government as political
o offapSa,e ~