The New York herald., 1921-12-24
DEbS ISFREED With
23OTHERS HELDFOR
POLITICAL OFFENSES
President COmmutes Sen
tences and All Will Be Re-
leased at Once.
5 SOLDIERS PARDONED
Men in Rhine Army Serving
Life Terms for Staying
EX-British Officer.
LABOR LEADER, OLD MAN
LABOR LEADER, OLD MAN
In Prison 2 Years 8 Months
Action Is i'm COnsOnance
With Christmas Custom.
Special Dispatch TO THE New York HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau,
Wae n ~ or

Washington, ID. C., Dec. %.
President Harding to-day extended
executive clemency to Eugene v. Deb:
and twenty-three other so-called politi
cal prisoners. His action was in con
-sonance with q long standing Christ.
mas custom. and all twenty three will
be Immediately released from prison
though some are to be deported.
Debs's sentence was commuted tc
expire at once, as were those of the
others. At the same time the Presi-
dent pardoned five American soldiers
of the Rhine forces convicted Of kill
ing a former British officer. They
were in the Rhine army and were
sentenced to life Imprisonment. They
are Carl I. Bryan, James A. ODell
Roy Youngblood. George Van Glider
and J. 3. Richardson.
Action by the President In all cases
was taken on recommendation of At
torney- General Daugherty. All the
1877 cases of so-called political pris-
oners. war offenders and many I. w
W. were considered.
In making known the soldier pardons
and the combinations of sentence at
the Executive offices to-day the state
ment was made that the list In the main
is made up of those who opposed the
war in one way or another and
Is made up of less than one-third
of I. w. w. prisoners. and these have
either expressed full penitence or are
booked for deportation. The Depart
ment of Justice has given no recommen-
dation in behalf of the advocates OF
sabotage or the destruction of the Gov
ernment by force. and the President let
it be known that he would consider no
such cases.
others Under Consideration.
In addition to the five soldiers on the
list many other cases are under con-
sideration.
No comment by the President was
made on the case of Debs. The Presi-
dent and the Attorney-General had
given very extended consideration to the
Debs petition, and it Is known that the
fact that he had twice been Presidential
nominee OF million voters had its in
fluence i'm reaching a decision favorable
to his release.
The President expressed the wish that
II be stated 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 ma
tional peril, but he feels the ends of JUS
IT, I..x, A4~ f~tr t,, .,ta, %
changed conditions.
The vast majority of the so-called
political prisoners still imprisoned are
OF the I. w. w. Group. are rarely Ameri-
can citizens and have no good claim to
executive clemency. A number of con-
victed citizens have never been i'm
prisoned, owing to appeals under bond.
There also are many thousand indict-
ments under war legislation still pend
ing. These do not now come under ex-
ecutive consideration.
Debs was convicted at Cleveland OF
violating the espionage act and sem
fenced September II. 1918. to ten years
in the State penitentiary at Moundsville.
W. Va. An appeal was taken to the Su-
prcine Court of the United States. where
the judgment was affirmed March 10.
1919, and Debs began his sentence April
IL, 1919, In the West virginian peniten-
tiary but was later transferred 20 the
United States Peniten.iary in Atlanta.
where he is now confined. He would
have been eligible for parole August IL.
1922. His term. with allowances for good
conduct. would have expired December
&c, 1925.
Debs Now mn Old Man.
II Is impossible. In limited compass.
to review all the facts in this case. or
the representations that have been made.
both IN behalf of and against the release
OF this prisoner. There IS. however. no
question OF his guilt. and that he ac-
lively and purposely obstrucHd the
draft. In fact. he admitted II at the
trial, but sought 20 Justify his action.
He was by no means. however. as rabid
and outspoken In his expressions as
many others. and but for his prominence
and the resultant far reaching effect OF
his words very probably might not have
received tho sentence he did. lie Is an
old man, not strong physically, with
much personal charm and impressive
personality. which qualifications make
him a dangerous man calculated 10 mis-
lead the unthinking and affordlng excuse
for those with criminal intent
Debs has been in prison two years
ana eiSnt fnontnss very rev, proDdoly'
would regard a Communication to six
years. or even i've. as unwarranted. Un-
der such a sentence he could be paroled
at once. Under all the circumstances u
was believed that tho ends Of Justice
would be sufficiently met and II would be
a gracious act OF mercy to relieve this
prisoner from further confinement Ac-
cordingiy, the sentence was commuted to
expire at once.
Other sentences commuted 10 expire
at once were:
Orville Anderson. convicted at Dead
wood. s. D.. under espionage law. sem
fenced october Q. 1918, to four years.
Charles Ashleigh, convicted at Chi
Conftuucd on Page Nine.