New-York tribune., 1921-12-31
No Forgiveness
InDebs' Release
Says Daugherty
Sentence COMMITTED as Act
of Grace and No Pardon
by Government Intended.
Asserts Attorney General
Psychology Is Considered
Harding Said TO Have Seen
No Use in Letting Him
Continue in Martyr Role

WASHINGTON, Dec. 30.-Eugene V.
Debs. the Socialist leader, was granted
his freedom from Atlanta Federal
penitentiary on Christmas by Presi-
dent Harding solely as IAN act OF
grace; his violation of the war Jews
remains unforgiven by the government.
This was disclosed tonight by Attor-
ney General Daugherty, who made pub
lie the text of his recommendations to
the President in the Debs case.
1T will be Observed Mr.. Daugherty
said, that a pardon was not granted
Debs, but that his sentence was COM
muted. The action of the President in
nowise condones the offense, and the
relief was solely an act of grace. The
gratitude Of Debs will be measured by
his conduct in the future"
No Real Reason for Clemency
"Regarding this class of so-called
political prisoners, ss they are termed
by those who are demanding their re-
lease Mr.. Daugherty said, there is
no real reason why they should be
treated any differently than any other
persons who violate the law, aside
from the fact that many Of them, as
we'll as their friends and associates
on the outside, actually believe, and
are sincere in their belief, that they
have violated no just law and were
strictly within their constitutional
rights in their public utterances, which
have been found to be in violation Of
the espionage act.
'Of course, there are others among
them who were and are actively, cor
sciously disloyal TO our government,
and who contemplate and intend To
disrupt and overtnrow our present
form Of government whenever oppor-
tunity presents itself, and are working
to that end As for them nothing need
De said. They are past reason, and the
only argument they can understand IS
the heavy arm of the law. They have
beer justly and wisely convicted and
u ust suffer the penalty of their mig
deeds"
In reaching his decision regarding
! Dcbs the Attorney General reviewed
the history of the case, quoting copi-
ously from the speech delivered by
/ Debs before the Socialist convention at
| Canton, Ohio, IN 1918, pointing out that
the constitutionality of Debs s convic-
tion was upheld by the Supreme Court,
e-So'.1 LiAe-t eii4o o> ei'S SCSOiiU SA@iiC
Debs had "set up his theories Of gov
ernment against the government
ITSELF and referring to the so-called
Pullman strike in 1894.
Vengeance Not Intended
In dealing with pardon cases, he con-
j tinued, the object to be accomplished
/ by imprisonment. the protection of
society, must be taken into account
vengeance should not enter into case
and where reasonable punishment
necessary for an example TO others is
accomplished, there is no justification
/ for further imprisonment. In the par
ticular case of Debs, ne added, there
was danger that his prolonged i'm
prisonment would have an injurious
effect on large number of people who
would regard it as unjustiiabIe and
rather than being beneficial to society
it might operate as an example of
! harshness.
Mr.. Daugherty declared that Debs
appeared to be physically strong, but
as a matter of fact was not, and she
| is not a normal man mentally on this
particular subject" Considering Debs s
age of sixty-six years. the Attorney
| General asserted that the percentage
of his life appropriated to the ten
year sentence was excessive.
Mr. Daugherty advised the commu-
tation of Debs's sentence to expire
| December 81. but President Harding
made the action effective on Christmas
( Dav