The New York herald., 1922-01-30
Convicted for Saying in War
What Wilson Said Later,
He Insists.
HE CALLS RUSSIA BEACON
Hope Of World, He Thinks, in
Spite Of Dark Days-Talks
of Rockefeller.

special Dispatch to THE New York HERALD.
TERRE HAurE, Ind, Jan. 29.-Eugene
". Debs, five times candidate for Pres
tdent of the United States on the So
cia,ist ticket and now deprived Of the
rights of citizenship. discussed for THE
New YORK HERALD his recollections OF
three years in Atlanta prison and MS
hopes for what he expects Will be
three wears of genuine success in ac-
complishment.
Is he downhearted? No; not he.
For he fully believes his experience
has meant much to his party and the
nation, and at sixty-six years of age
he purposes to do Just what he has
done before with renewed vigor and
with undiminished enthusiasm.
.'There is not the slightest change
IN my viewpoint or purpose, he told
me. "I merely happened to be SEN
fenced to prison for saying something
at the beginning Of the war which
President Wilson said at its end. 1t
was commercial war"
To Preach Paciffsm.
And convinced of that fact, as he al
ways has been, Debs purposes in the
near future to tour the nation, and per-
haps the world, seeking to win pledge
from every man, woman and chiid
within the sphere of his effort to refuse
at al, times to bear arms upon any pre-
text
In the course OF his talk he outlined
his views also on the disarmament par
ley, woman's suffrage, the world war.
John d. Rockefeller and Russia, "the
beacon light of the world
And the interest which the world, or
an enthusiastic part OF 1t. has In the
views of Eugene Debs was represented
even as he talked by thousands OF mes
sages from every corner OF the earth
piled here and there in his comfortable
hut modest home.
The Debs home Is an old frame struc-
ture located at 45I North Eighth street.
In the living room on the first floor
there was an immense sheaf OF tele-
grams--more than S00--which had been
received since his release. On large
ibrary table were thousands of Christ
mas cards from all sections of the coun-
try. Every walk in life was represented
in that pile of holiday 'remembrances.
Mrs. Dobs told me she had counted up
TO s.f00 and had reached only about
tWo-tb.rds OF the pile.
- ifebs's nhrary--or workshop, as he
calls tt---on the second floor another ac-
emulation of correspondence met the
eye. The mantelpiece was piled high
NTH kilograms and letters. A large
writing table was heaped full. On a big
fiat top desk another stack of letters
was heaped UP pyramid style. At a
rough estimate he has received 1000 let
ters since his release.
Many Write From Abroad.
A remarkable feature OF this ava
lsnche of mail was the foreign corre-
pondence. 1t came from every country
across the seas. There were invitations
TO visit seventeen of these foreign coun-
tries One of the letters bearing a Paris
postmark was addressed:
ITO the best loved man in all the
world, now in Terre Haute. U. S. A.
It bore no name. He got 1t.
The letter was from a retired French
banker. The missive carried an invita-
tlon to Debs and his wife to spend a
year as the bankers guest
Another letter was signed by the
widow of a former Democratic candi-
date for President Another carried the
signature OF one Of Americas foremost
motion picture stars. There were hum
dreds of letters that contained money
One was signed From an old Rail- and
contained $5.
ut has been my lifelong practice &c
acknowledge the receipt OF every letter,
declared Debs, "and i expect to answer
pf ha
have time"
Speaking of his tour Debs said h,
would appeal to every man, woman
and child in this country and every
country which he might visit. ufginf
that they refuse to take up arms ant
20 to war. But until world relation,
undergo transformation. he said, war,
were inevitable.
Always War I'm Some Form
I'VE vJl, always have war in som,
FORM he asserted. "and war grow
ing more and moro destructive unit
competitive world has been trans
formed into a cooperative world. Ever!
war for trade sooner or later inevitabl,
becomes n terrible war of blood"
The Socialist leader expressed tn,
opinion that President Harding at hear
ras against all war. but described tn,
resident as a representative of a sys
a that made war possible. The dis
aament conference. he maintained
significant only in that It was
milton of the cost of warfare an,
vort TO reduce expense instead 0
ating the cause
Gym traitor. no doubt, in tn
sab some of the American people
nots "But the words thou shal
say. mean to me just what the.
my oyould not kill in defence o
Tor hirfe. and certainly would no
per centave some one else. Sevent.
cxemptiothe drafted men applied 70
Debs 81
cent war; at length about the re
passion ana Il was always withou
He simply thout flowers of speech
The fundanerated time and agail
FOR mankind OF his faith--tha
put that In mould shed hts blood
snother's blood. 'ause would he She
asked Debs ~
Ill you were in question:
act be?" "ou'uy uyour first officla
~ ne replied Instant,
a Jake such steps as woul