The Washington times., 1921-12-27
TO
VISIT WITH
LEADERS
Of SOVIET
Declares Three Years in Prison
Have Not Changed His
! Opinions an Iota.

Opinions an Iota.
BY MILDRED NORRIS.
International News Service.
Eugene v. Debs plans tour Of
the world as an apostle Of peace.
The Socialist leader sentenced to
ten years. imprisonment for oppos-
ing and denouncing the last war,
announced today that he will de-
vote his future activities to fight
ing war in every country Of the
world.
"It is my plan later to tour the
world" he said. 81 have invita-
tions from several countries.
hope to visit every country, fight
ing war and getting men, women
and children to VOW that they
never again will support murder in
the form of war"
Desires To Visit Russia.
The Socialist leader added that
"ons Of his great desires" was to
visit Russia.
'I undsrsasad5 that an official in
vitation from the Soviet government
await.S me-" he said. II should like
greatly to accept IL and hope to.
1 should love to see those men over
there. In my opinion they ara great
horses.
Debs told Peter ]. MacSwiney.
brother Of the late Lord Mayor Ter.
renee MacSwiney, who called to pay
his respects this morning, that he
Wis M
1T would be a great joy to visit
an Ireland free" he said.
MacSwiney said he brought greet
tngs to the Socialist leader from the
citizens Of the Irish Republic"
VIII Run for President.
Asked about his political plans, he
said he would be a candidate for
President of the United States IL
the workers demand it,"
But / hope l will not have to
be-" he said with a smile. IT have
been candidate five times and l
think that's enough. But / am at
The service Of the workers and will
obey their demand
What If your citizenship rights are
not restored by the next Presidential
campaign" he was asked
"A little thing like that wouldn't
keep me from running" he answered.
He now calls himself citizen of
the world"
Wouldn't II be great II a citizen
OF the world was elected President
OF the United Statess" he added.
Labor More Formidable.
Duscussing labor's future Debs said:
Il will trust the great body OF
workers to adjust themselves to the
changed conditions resulting from the
war and to reorganize their industrial;
and political forces on q basis that
will make them more formidable OF
transformation and emancipation than
they ever were before"
He declared he was "prouder than
ever" OF his war record"
IL retract nothing" he said. 81 win
say again and again and stronger than
ever before the things that 1 said dur.
ing the war. 1t is only stupid gov
ernments that believe prison changes
men.
Had I left unsaid what 1 said,
would have felt myself q traitor to
the workers Of the world.
"The most cOwardly creature on
earth Is the man who howls for war
and waves q flag while other men 70
into the trenches to give their lives.
II I had believed in the last war, I
would have been fighting in the first
trenches"
Goes Home Tonight.
Debs Is leaving Washington tonight
without knowing why he came.
81 do not yet know why / was re-
auested to come to Washington" the
Socialist leader. Nothing was asked
of me either by the President or the
Attorney General"
Debs at first refused to accept re-.
lease when informed that the Attorney
General requested him to proceed to
Washington to see President Harding
It became known today, He was not
notified that his sentence had been
commuted until last Saturday. He had
been held incommunicade for several
days up to the time of his release,
He angrily rejected release, II In
learned from authoritative sources. in
forming the warden of the prison TO
send word back to Washington that he
did not care to talk either to the At
torney General or the President OF the
United States. About an hour later, II
is said. he reconsidered having recalled
q promise he had made to the Attorney
General at his conference with him
last April that II he was given freedom
ne would come to Washington i'm
mediately following his release to talk
with president Harding.
Tha Socialist leader htunalt main.