Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-12-31
DAUCHERTY TELLS PUBLIC
WHY DEBS WAS RELEASED
Pity for Weakened Physical
Condition Prompted Rec.
ommendalion.
VICTORY INSPIRED lnxrnyc,
Grntit"d~ or Socialist Leader VIII
lie Measured by Conduct I'm
Future. ls Assertion OF Attorney
General,
IBY United Neu..1

WASHINGTON. Dec. aO.-pIty for
the weakened physical condition OF
Eugene V. Dcbs. together with n
feeling of lenicncy inspired by vic
tory. prompted Attorney General
i'augherty TO recommend the com
mutation of Dcbs sentence to Presi
Gent Harding
For this act OF executive grace
the gratitude OF Dcbs will lie
measured by his conduct in the flu
are" Damghcrty said in making
public his recommendations In the
Dchs case.
After summing up the history OF
pebs' discriminating public utter
anccs. Daugheriy arrived NJ the CON
clusion that Debs lis not IA normal
man mentally on this particular sub
jcct. his obscssion clearly preventing
him from acquiescing In the iinal
decision Of the courts respecting
the limitations OF freedom Of speech
as guaranteed by the Constitution"
nus tharut.
''ITe is Il man Of much personal
charm and impressive personality"
the statement continued lin the
work he has undertaken. these
qualities make him Il 1ory dangerous
man. calculated to misiead tho UNI
thinking and afford an excuse for
those with criminal intent. So far
as he thinks correctly. he may bc
conscientious. but he does not think
correctly and apparently cannot do
so on tho questions involved In this
case, and II must not he overlook cd
that under our form of government
his theories. which are In conflict
with the highest constituted au-
thority, are wrong and reasonable"
Evidently Dcbs was not 10 have
been released until December RI
for Daugherty's statement so re-
commends.
Daurhcrty points out that tho
reason for continued enforcement Of
sentence still exists as 81 very neccs-
sary example to others in order than
in any future contingency they may
not be tempted tn disregard their
duty as citizens and defy and ham
per the government in its extremity.
in the hope and with the belief that
all will he forgiven as soon as peace
is declared"
VIII RcstraIn rttcrnnccs.
Although.> in tho belief of the At
torncy-Gnncrnl. the statement Of
President Lincoln apropos Of the
Civil War u,tcranccs OF Clement H.
n 11.ir Il I, htrlr
case To silence the agItator and
save the boy twho descrts) ~ not
only constitutional. but withal q
greater mercy" applies tn the Dcbs
case. Neverthclcsy the commuta-
ton was recommended upon the as
sumption that Dcbs was sincere and
that his experiences In the pcnitcn-
tiary will cause him TO restrain his
uttcranccs In the future"
"In considering this matter. I af
fordcd Dcbs the privilege OF dis
cussing his ease with mo person
ally" DauGhcrty continued. This
custom would not he practicable or
possible In many cases whore Glenn
ency is sought. In this particular
case. however, the defendant when
convicted was, and probably will he
so considered at this time. the leader
in our country, IL not In the world.
in his line OF thought. reasoning, and
advocacy Therefore. with the de-
sire TO give the subject. which af-
fccts many others as well, the
faircst possible consideration. / per-
mttted Debs to present his case in
person"
Dnughcrty said. as we'll. that he
had recognized tho considerable pub
lie sentiment In favor of Dcbs' re-
lease.