Evening star., 1921-04-05
Editorial Digest
Debs Visits Daugherty.

| "uen MT. DeDS OF Atlanta made MS
call upon Mr.. Daugherty of the De-
| partment Of Justice. unattended by
| guards. detectives or even reporters,
it proved quite shock to public
| opinion The shock. however. as alb
| sorbed by the newspapers Of the
country, seemed merely to settle es-
tablished editorial convictions deeper
than they Were before. The majority of
| writers still feel that Debs ought not
to be p&rdoned. A few are greatly
exercised over the special privilege
| granted the prisoner and accuse the
Attorney General Of playing politics.
Some think the visit probably fore
/ shadows the release of Debs, but are
not greatly concerned over the ques-
ton one way or another.
Looking at it from the partisan
standpoint, the Roanoke World-News
| (democratic) remarks: There is a
| strong suspicion thatsMf. 'Daugherty
| is getting ready to recommend free
! dom or clemency for the distinguished
Mr.. Debs. The presidential election
| is only three and half years away;
Mr.. Daughertys function in the cabi-
net is to build up an unbeatable re-
publican machine"
The Philadelphia Public Ledger in-
| dependent calls the incident grand
standing, and, speaking in the same
| mood. the New Haven Journal-Courier
| independently declares that the visit
was "one of those unexpected, bizarre
things. favored with sentiment, pal
pably for public consumption-an ef-
| fort to get solid with the sons of
toll" The thing was done. the Rich
| mond Times-Dispatch (democratic)
asserts, "to meet the favor, of the
groups who are now petitioning for
Debs' release. with the view of capt.
taiizing it as possible party asset
at the polls in the future" and. the
Pittsburg Sun (democraticl asks.
how much respect for the law will
be left US if presidential election
comes to be looked upon as medium
for voting criminals out of the penis
tentiary?'
On the other hand, some friends of
the administration look upon the in
! cident in quite a different light. The
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
! (republican). for instance, sees in
I Mr.. Daugherty's action proof of
his altruism. purposely misunderstood
by his enemies: "a man who has
been labeled politician by those who
pride themselves on their aloofness
from politics insults their prejt-
dices when he displays a spark Of
humanity"
The Norfolk Virginian- Pilot (inde-
pendent democratic) says: "Debs has
paid. Few will take President Hard
ing to task if he will issue to him a
receipt in full and put an end to the
growing feeling that. in the case of
the irascible socialist candidate for
President. justice has succeeded but
poorly in fitting the punishment to
the crime
The Hartford Times tdemocratic)
can see mo particular harm if Debs
is pardoned. but if he does happen to
be it should be thoroughly understood
that II Is simply an act of clemency
and not correction of any injustice.
for no injustice has been done" To
position. the Scranton Times demo
cratic) believes. or. If he should re-
fuse. few outside the socialisticaIly
inclined would protest. The Cincin-
natl CommerciaI-Tribu (republican)
fdisposes of the case with terse COM
those who failed to appreciate the diff
ference between liberty and license.
de has been given many a lesson and
many or his kind have been spared.
ne asked review of his case in the
nght OF general amnesty. In all
fairness the President has accorded 1t
/ to him. That's all for the present"
Ine New York Times independent
idemocratic) sees no reason for chang
Ing the verdict. Of "Refused'f that
|Iecomne ndation for pardon Has
bs acquired even higher merit in
some republican eyes on account Of
that refusal?' it asks. "If he is par
doned why should anybody be forced
to stay in jail""
The Syracuse Herald (independent)
feels that when We find supposedly
patriotic men bewailing Debs' harsh
treatment. we may we'll believe that
FSome kinds Of Americanism are pret-
Fly weak or volatile or spurious"
The Buffalo Express findependent
!republican) looks at the matter from
the legal rather than the sentimental
Estandpoint: III neither illegality nor
behalf then his punishment should
mot be OF such character assto con-
Evey the impression cit her that he is
held to be above the ordinary work
|angs OF the law or that the law Itself
taken very seriously"