Evening star., 1926-10-28

In death, as in life. the character
of Eugene V. Debs inspires many and
varying conceptions.
I'm retrospect" says the Baltimore
Sun, 1--WE see that what courted in
old Gene was not his unsound theories,
which were but a superficial part OF
him, but the Cllristianlike virtues
which were essential in his being. That
we should have sent a man like that to
Jail for his ideas Is blot on American
history which time will be slow in
eradicating."
Yet the New York Sun blames the
admirers Of the Socialist leader, de-
claring they "have always tried to
offset his offenses by saying he was
lovable.' That, indeed" adds the
Sun, was the quality that made him
dangerous. He had personality. mag
netism and the mild face of martyr.
Those were gifts that would have car
ried him much farther if he had
enlisted in some better cause"
Whatever else Debs may have
BEEN" however, the Birmingham
News reminds US that "he was never
an incendiary or bomb thrower. And
when he fought it was in the open.
While Gene was serving time in the
penitentiary many other men worse
than he were up to worse devilment
than he ever dreamed" The Water
town Daily Times credits him with
accomplishing much that was good.
when his life Is analyzed, what has
been the effect upon his country
asks the Times. He did little harm
to American institutions. They were
too firmly founded. Yet. without
doubt, the fight which he carried on
for humanitarian legislation has had
it's effect, not through his own party,
but through parties which he fought
with all his heart and SOUL
X X X X
"ae was a humanitarian, an ideal
ist. even a fanatic" contends the
Snringf1eld Republican, "but he re-
mained American, even though his
term in a Federal prison for excess OF
pacifist zeal during the war auto
matically deprived him Of technical
citizenship. Communist pretensions
that he was really one of them should
not be allowed to obscure the record.
The Norfolk Ledger Dispatch holds
that "some Of the doctrines which ne
taught are not those which appeal TO
the conservative leaders Of thought,
nor would their practical application
to the affairs Of men be for the best
interest of the Nation, but the de-
parted exponent of socialism VIII
long be remembered for his sincerity.
his love for his fellows and his
answering devotion to duty as ne
saw it." >,
".James Whitcomb Riley knew Debs, {"
remarks the Worcester Telegram,
land once in verse the poet pictured
the agitator as one who stood with his
arms outstretched to all mankind.
And that was a true portrait. Storm
ing through life, Debs was in his
heart as tender as Riley"
The New York Evening World thus
sums I'D its view of the DebS quail
tiles. His heart dominated his head
good as 1t was. No one could know
him and hate him. No one could
know him and have contempt for him.
1t was easy to regret his political
course, but no one could doubt the
sincerity of his course. He paid the
penalty of this course with a gal
lantry that commands the respect of
ALL"
Though Mr.. Debs spent much time
in prison, he was not in the ordinary
sense a criminal at all" in the opinion
of the Columbus Ohio State Journal
Criminals commit crimes for per-
sonaI ends, to gain something tang1-
bic for themselves OF 10 SdtlSly lHeii
hatreds. There was none of that in
this man. He committed his crimes
to advance, as he thought, the inter-
ests of humanity. His judgment, no
doubt, was faulty. but his motive was
the highest and best" And the
Wheeling Intelligencer concludes that
"if there is a separate heaven for the
heroic souls of the world, where the
hrayest of the dead warriors become
minor deities. the Terre Haute fire
brand will perhaps find high place
there. For Gene Debs was one of the
most valiant fighters this Nation has
ever produced"
X X y
On the other hand, the Kalamazoo
Gazette insists that his record con-
tains no great constructive achieve