The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1921-03-29
cLEMENCY FOR DEBS?

Eugene v. Dchs. serving a term in the federal prison at At
lanta. presents a spectacle well calculated to excite pity. The
same may be said OF any man who has forfeited his liberty by
violating the laws OF his country. There is pathos III the plight
Of even the most hardened erminal.
Mr.. Debs has been permitted to journey to Washington. pre-
sumably. 10 present To the department OF justice hi personal
plea Tor cemenc. although one of his friends is Quoted as
saving that he went 10 the capital merely to make an appeal in
behalf OF all political prisoners. However. since he regards him
self rs a political prisoner. it IS evident that he was not com
'petely animated by unsedsh motives in making the trip.
If one were to allow pity to control his thinking in regard
to all who for any rcason have become criminals. the doors Of
every prison in the country would be thrown wide open and
thenceforth the lawless would understand that there is no re-.
straint for them.
Eugene y. Dcbs deliberately violated the law and. according
to those close to him he has no regrets. The fact that he was
conscientious in obstructing the war plans OF his government is no
more justification for him than the same plea would be if his crime
had been to lorsake the nag OF ms country and night with ITS enc
mics. There is abundant evidence that many men resort to crime
without ever being troubled by their conscicnces.
Debs is a mighty man, a man OF large loltical influence. Is
feato receive Special consideration merely because he is such a
man and thus a proclaim the fact that t ere is one sort OF justice
for big offenders and another for the small fry in the criminal
class? And If all draft rcsistcrs and obstructionists are to be
freely pard9ned, when the cal to arms comes again are the dis
loyal to understand that they may dNre ard it with impunhy or
with prospects for nothing more than trivial punishment?
The Debs case calls for serious thought at a time when the
public mind IS engrossed with other matters and there is grave
danger that the fundamental facts involved in it will be overlook
ed. A clear analysis of the case is presented by DR.. Crank Crane
in an article printed by the New York Globe. Declaring that there
is a great deal of nonsense and hysteria going on as to Debs and
his Imprisonment and asserting that there is no such thing as a
political prisoner" in the United States, DIR. Crane writes as
follows:
Debs is in prison for the same reason his fellow convicts are
in prison-for breaking the law.
He is not there on account Of his opinions. He is there for
Nhat he did.
Twelve men, carefully chosen, found him guilty, after a fair
trial in which he had every opportunity to defend himself.
At the close OF the trial he said: 81 haven't one word Of com
plant either against the verdict or the trial. The evidence was
truthful, it was fairly presented by the prosecution, the Jury was
patient and attentive and the judges charge was mastery and
scrupulous1y fair"
lie said he went to prison for an IDEAL. Judge Westcnfavcr,
in sentencing him, said: 81 do not regard the idealsm Of the de-
PENDENT as expressed by himself any higher, any purer, or any
noblcr than the idealism of the thousands Of young men have
seen marching down the streets OF Cleveland to defend the laws
OF their country and the flag. Any one who strikes the sword
from the hand of those young men, or causes another young man
to refuse to do his duty when called to serve by their side, or
any one who obstructs the recruiting service does Just as much
injury to the country as if he We're a soldier in the ranks Of the
German army"
Debs' case was appealed to the supreme court. There Judge
Holmes pointed out that Dcbs was not sentenced because he
was opposed to all wars i'll general, but because he obstructed re-
cruitng service in this war"
This being contrary to law, he was a laNbreaker, and it was
Tor that, and not for any belief, that he is now in the pentcntary.
Debs is not a rebel against any tyrant, such as king, car or
kaiser. He is a rebel against the will OF the majority OF his e-
low citizens.
A man has a perfect right to any opinion, however peculiar.
That IS essential to democracy.
But it is no less essential to democracy that after we have all
expressed our several opinions the majority shall rule.
The foundation OF this republic is not liberty. 1t is law, which
lies deeper than liberty, tor without it no liberty is possible.
You and do not like some Of our laws. But we look pleas
ant and obey them until we can induce the majority to change
them.
Every man in the I. s. A. can do one OF three things.
L. He can obey the law.
z He can get oft and so to some country he likes better.
5. Or he can 90 to jail.
Debs chose jail. And there he ought TO stay until he makes
up his mind to obey the laws Of his country.
The most wonderful exhiarator Tor any city in Oklahoma is
for it to enter the Better Cities contest. 1t brings out Just what
points a city has and puts its shortcomings in the limelight
sufficiently II uroe a correction -Sbavnea Nauc.