The New York herald., 1922-11-27
DEBS DESPISES And
!. DEFIES LAW OF j. s.
Would Rather Be in Jail With
Self-Respect Than Be Free
Vand Gagged.
HAS LOST CITIZENSHIP
Tells Chicago He Prefers This
Deprivation to Loss Of
His Conscience.
HAS LOST CITIZENSHIP

CHICAGO, Nov. 26 (Associated Press).
- Eugene Debs, leader of the Socialist
party. made his first public speech
since leaving Atlanta Penitentiary
here to-day. Hundreds stood outside
the hall for hours after fire guards
had limited the audience to 1000.
Jean Longuet, French Socialist, in
whose honor the meeting was held,
was overshadowed by the demonstra-
tim to Debs. Huge baskets Of red
roses tied with red ribbons were given
to Debs, and after the meeting the
Socialist National Committee was
forced to conceal him for nearly an
hour to keep the crowd from carrying
him away.
"I am just recovering from the ef-
fects of a speech / made almost four
years ago. Debs told the audience. 1T
was a record making speech. began
It at Canton. Ohio. and finished it at
Atlanta penitentiary.
Has No Regrets.
But there Is nothing to regret.
opposed the war and 1 still oppose war.
] would not so to war at the command
of any capitalist country on the face
of this earth. l would have saved the
lives OF the $4,000 American boys who
perished on the battlefields OF France
to create 10000 new millionaires in this
country. l spoke at Canton from deep
sense OF conviction, and after all ten
years is a very modest sentence for hav-
ing an opinion OF your own in the United
States.
"Out Of the war" he said. "one great
good came, quite unexpected to the rul-
ing classes OF the world. That was the
Soviet Republic"
He praised the nineteen Communists
including William Bross Lloyd, whose
conviction under the Illinois anti-syn-
dicalisIn 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 be-
hind the twenty Communists who are
slated to go on trial at st. Joseph
Mich, tomorrow under a similar law
and would fight for the freedom of the
sixty-eight war time prisoners, mostly
members of the despised j. w. w." who
are still In Federal prisons.
Despiscs the u. y. Laws.
Il am almost ashamed" Debs said
Ito be out OF prison while those men are
stiil back OF the iron bars" Their con-
tinued Incarceration is high compli-
ment from the Government OF the United
States. a Government so cowardly IL
fears these sixty-eight men will over
throw It."
II would far rather" he continued
"be in jail with my self-respect than on
the streets with n gag in my mouth.
II despise and defy their laws / am
not a citizen of the United States. de-
sp'e the fact that l was born and
raised I'm Indiana. Because I obeyed
my conscience | lost my citizenship.
bur / " ould far rather have 1t that way
than keep my citizenship and lose my
conscience"
He attacked government by injunc-
ton" and said that If he had been in
Chicago when the recent rail strike in
junction was issued he would have 'as-
serted my manhood by defying IL and
the corporation lawyer Judge that Is
sued IT,"
Jean Longuet devoted most OF his adj
dress TO an attack on Georges Clemen-
ceau and the peace treaty of Versailles.
Ciemenceau. he declared. mo more rep
resents France than Mr.. Schwab or Mr..
Perpont Morgan represents the spirit
OF America"