Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1921-12-24
DEBS IS GIVEN
HIS FREEDOM
president
Twenty-Eight Political Pri'
soners Receive Execu-
tive Clemency
FIVE EX-SOI.DIERS
Communication of Debs' Sentence Does
Not Restore Civil Rights of Social
ist Leader.

Washington Dec. 24.-President
Harding today commuted the sent
ence Of 90 political prisoners, includ-
ing that of Eugene V. Debs, and at
the same time announced the pardon
of five American soldiers, serving
life sentence for the alleged murder
of a British army officer.
AS a result of reports that Debs
might be released tomorrow, Attor-
ney General Daugherty said last
night that he would not be released
until Christmas Day, when his COM
mutation will become effective oftlc-
tally.
Executive clemency was withheld
in nearly 200 other cases, however,
in which petitions for pardon or
communication are pending. Scores Of
others were convicted for violations
of wartime enactments, but have
never been imprisoned, owing to ap-
peals under bond. Nearly Is 900
indictments under war legislation
still are pending.
The action of the President in
committing the sentence OF Debs-
which was forecast in The Sun this
morning-created wider interest than
the case of any other political pris-
oner of the war. He had been Social
list candidate for the presidency many
times, and, although convict at the
time, he was nominated by his party
in 1920 to oppose the man who today
gave him his freedom.
President Wilson refused to grant
clemency in the case Of Debs, al
though nation wide propaganda was
organized in his behalf then, as now
All that was vouchsafed at the
White House regarding the clemency
extended to Debs was the fact that
both the President and the Attorney
General had given extended consider
alton to the Debs petition, plus the
comment that the prisoner having
twice been the Presidential nominee
of / 100000 voters, had its influence
in reaching decision favorable to
his release.
Soon after Mr.. Harding's inaugu-
ration, Attorney General Daugherty
sent for Debs who came from prison
in Atlanta unaccompanied and con-
ferred fo several hours with officials
of the Department of Justice. The
convict returned to prison, also un-
accompanied, and it was widely re-
ported at the time that he would
soon be given his liberty.
Commutation of prison sentence
does not restore the citizenship of
the prisoner in question and Debs
may not vote or hold office until he is
given an unconditional pardon. He
may sue for pardon at any time and
his friends insist that they will not
rest until he has regained his full
rights as citizen.
In the sketch of the Debs case
made public by the White House to-
day it was stated that "there is no
question as to his guilt and that he
actively and purposelv obstructed the
draft" He admitted as much at his
trial, it was recalled, but sought to
justify his action.
Convicted at Cleveland. Ohio, Of
violating the Espionage act and sent
enced September ID, 1918, to 10 years
in the state penitentiary at Mounds
Vllle. w. va, All appear WAS ldheli
to the supreme court of the United
States. where the judgment was af-
firmed March 10, 1919. and Debs be-
gan his sentence April II, 1919, in
the West Virginia Penitentiary. but
was later transferred to the United
States Penitentiary at Atlanta. i.
The five soldiers who were par
doned outright are Carl J. Bryan
James A. O'Dell. Roy Youngblood,
George van Glider and J. B. Rich
ardson, attached to the American
Army on the Rhine. They were con-
victed of the murder of George
Lancefield. a former British Army
officer.