Evening star., 1922-11-27
ROSES AND CHEERS
FOR EUGENE DEBS
Socialist Leader Delivers
First Public Address Since
Release From Prison.
HAS NOTHING TO REGRET
Admits Opposing War and Hits
Capitalistic Class-Heard by
Immense Throng.
HAS NOTHING TO REGRET
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
CHICAGO, November 27.-Eugene
Debs. leader Of the socialist party
made his first public speech since
leaving Atlanta penitentiary here yes
terday and was given an ovation that
delayed the start of his address for
more than an hour.
Hundreds stood outside the hall for
hours after fire guards had limited
the audience to 1000 people.
Jean Lonauet. French socialist, IN
whose honor the meeting was held.
was UvershadOwed by the demonstr;t-
tion accorded Debs. Huge baskets of
red roses. tied with red ribbons. were
given DebS by his admirers, and after
the meeting the socialist national
committee was forced to conceal Debs
in a small committee room for nearly
an hour to keep tho waiting crowd
from carrying him away. With tears
courSing down his cheeks, Debs beg
ged the committee to let him go OUT
and shake hands with the crowd. and
once he forced his way to the plat
form. despite their protests that his
strength was unequal to the strain.
Refers to "RecOrd-MakinE Speech
II am Just recovering from the ef-
fects of a speech l made almost four
years ago." Debs told the audience.
"It was a record-making speech. l
began it at Canton, Ohio. and finished
it at Atlanta penitentiary.
But there is nothing to regret.
opposed the war and I still oppose
war. I would not go to war at the
command of any capitalist country on
the face of the earth. ] would have
saved the lives of the 10000 Ameri-
can boys who perished on the battle
fields of France to create 10000 new
millionaires in this country. I spoke
at Canton from a deep sense of con-
viction and. after all. ten Years is 4
very modest sentence for having an
opinion of your own in the United
States"
Ignoring the fight of the socialist
party leaders against the l. W. W.
communism and the Russian soviet
government, Debs. declared himself a
citizen of the world. Out of the
strife, he said. lone great good came.
quite unexpected to the ruling classe
of the world. That was. the soviet
republic
Praise for Comrnunists.
He praised the ninteen communists.
including William ErosS Lloyd. whose
conviction under the Illinois anti
SyndicaliSm law was upheld few
days ago, and attacked the act under
which they were found guilty as :.
disgrace to any state" Likewise. he
said he stood behind the twenty COM
munists who are slated TO 60 oa trial
at st. Joseph, Mich. toinn-ro" under
freedom of the sixty-eight wartime
prisoners mostly members Of the
deSpised 7. W. W." who are still i'll
federal prisons.
Il am almost ashamed Debs said.
"to be out of prison while those men
Their continued incarceration is
high compliment from the govern
ment of the United States, a govern
ment SO cowardly it fears those sixty
eight men will overthrow it."
81 would far rather" he continued.
'be in Jail with my self-respect than
on the streets with a gag in my
mouth. I despise and defy their laws
I am not a citizen of the United
States. despite the fact that I was
obeyed my conscience l lost my
citizenship. but I would far rather
have it that way than keep my citi-
zenship and lose my conscience"
He attacked government by in
junction" and said that il he had
been in Chicago when the recent rail
strike injunction was issued he would
have asserted my manhood by defy
ing 1t and the corporation lawyer
Judge that issued it."
Lonkuet Attacks Clemenceau.
Jean Longuet devoted most Of his
address to an attack on Georges Gle
menceau and the peace treaty of
Versailles. Clemenceau. he declared,
mo more represents France than Mr..
Schwab or Mr.. Pierpont Morgan rep
resents the spirit Of America
"It is for me a great privilege" he
said. 'to be able to put before the
American public. in contradiction to
Mr.. Clemenceau. quite different
view of the problems he is approach
ing"
The fundamental cause of the pres
ent situation in Europe. he said. is
the peace made in 1919. and this was
a natural result of the continuation