The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-07-15
SICK SOCIALIST
LEADER HASLOST
PACE IN POLITICS
Debs Out of Touch;
Tries to Hold Party
BY KARL REEVE.

Eugene V. Debs, sick and in seclu-
sion in q sanitarium at Elmhurst, ILL.,,
prohibited from talking politics by the
doctors orders, has again been po-
litically resurrected to keep down
rank and file sentiment in the rem
nants of his party. Debs is unable to
keep in touch with the political situa-
ton as he should, if he wishes to per-
serve in his role as mentor to the
socialist party.
In letter to the DAILY WORKER
reoprter, Debs says: Sorry did not
get to see you. am i'll and under
treatment, so the doctors will not al
low me to see the many visitors
would be glad to see If my condition
permitted. cannot be interviewed at
present"
Tries to Smile TWO Ways.
Debs' telegram to the national con-
vention Of the socialist party was a
concialitory one. Incapable Of taking
an active part in politics; uniformed
as to the impossibility of indorsing
LaFollette and remaining a Marxist,
Debs takes blind stab to please both
sides. MAKE no nominations" de-
clares Debs, "but at the same time
keep the socialist party in as the
party Of hte working class"
Debs is trying to play an impossible
role. He is refusing to discuss with
leaders in the radical movement the
burning questions which confront the
workers. He is refusing to grant any
interviews on the grounds that he is
physically unable. But he is feebly
trying to keep dying party alive
lending his name to the most conser-
vative and compromising wing of that
party-in the name of unity.
Debs has no right to longer attempt
the role Of prophet of his party. He is
a sick man, uniformed and admitted
Iy unable to take part in politics. His
name no longer lends weight to the
petty bourgeois element of the So
cialist party which hail him as stand
ard bearer.
Forbidden to IntervIewere.
At the Lindlahr health resort at Elm
hurst, Debs' doctor declared: ~Mr.
Debs is absolutely forbidden to see
anyone except his immediate family.
When he came here month ago we
laid down the strict rule that Mr.. Debs
was not to talk politics to anyone. He
is slowly recovering from a complete
nervous and physical breakdown"
The doctor refused to give Debs a
long letter, declaring that Tong COM
munications, visits from friends, and
political discussions sap Debs'
strength"
In order to keep In touch with the
political situation Debs gees up town
to Elmhurst, half mile from the
sanitarium, receives his mail at the
post ONCE, and communicates with his
political associates against his doc
tors orders. The Elmhurst Press de-
clares that Mr.. Debs will talk to peo-
pie he meets on the streets, but re-
fuses to talk politics. He is taking a
vacation Rom politics, as one Elmhurst
resident put it, until he becomes
stronger.
Listen to LaFoIlette.
But if we are to believe the Social
list Milwaukee Leader, Debs is TAX
ing no vacation from politics when it
comes to supporting a middle class
candidate. "Mr. Debs was all smiles
when he received the committee
named by the Socialist Party nation
al convention to convey greetings Of
the convention to him at Lindlahr's
sanitarium," says the Socialist paper.
"He expressed the conviction that the
Socialist Party would have thrown
away the opportunity Of generation
by withholding it's support from the
LaFollette candidacy"
Debs made plea, according to
the Leader, to cooperate with the fol-
lowers of LaFollette" and show that
we can work together in the labor
party which should be organized next
January"
Debs thus sides with the Gompers,
Harrington plan Of class collaboration.
He supports LaFollette, the man with
an unsavory labor record. admittedly
representing the Independent manu-
facturers." but refuses to answer
questions or discuss politics with
any other than the right wing. mid
die class leadership OF the dying So
cialist party.