Evening star., 1926-10-21

uoIlCc DIcSClLcu Wy IiIC ~'C'
no criticism of the counsel for the
prosecution. / would not take back
word Of what l believe right to save
myself from the penitentisry. l am
accused Of crime, but l look the court
in the face. look the jury In the lace
l look the world in the face. for In my
heart no accusation of wrong 1estefs.
"Gentlemen, / have been accused OF
ohstructing war. ] admit 1t. gentle
men, 7 abhor war. would oppose the
war if stood alone.
Although Dehs made no efforts 10
resist penalty. his friends rallied 10 MS
support and the fight to save nun ""s
carried TO the United States supreme
Co,rt which on March 10. 1919. up
held the conviction. He was taken 10
Moundsvile on April IS. 1919, ana a
few months later was transferred 10
Atlanta. Ga. r.-
Still in prison Debs made no enorts
TO obtain his release, but his !rlehus
worked increasingly in ms penah.
President Wilson on several occasiolls
was Detitioned to pardon Debs. but
refused on the ground that it would
seriously affect the morale OF the
people. The last time Such peli'io"
was backed by an inquiry pE tne
Department of Justice ana d ietoI''
mendation 70 the President bE Atlor-
ney General Palmer that Deos We
released on February II. w.. ~
coins birthday. The President again
however, declined to grant the pardon.
Released by Harding.
Debs' followers then pinned their
hopes on the Harding admlnlstIaslol.
Their leader finally was released lrolh
the penitentiary Christmas day, 1871.
his sentence having been commuteo
by President Harding along with those
of % others convicted on various
charges of having hindered the gov
ernment during the war. Ihe Fresl-
dents action did not restore citizen
ship.
During his confinement in the FED,
eraI prison .DebS never whimpered
over his sentence, never asked LOT
favors nor for his release. Proof that
the Government trusted him was evil
denCed when, several montnS pelole
his pardon was granted, at the request
of Attorney General Daugherty, ne
made n trip alone to Washington Tor
q conference and his only comment on
his return was: II have nothing 10
take back: l did not ask them to re-
lease me-
Debs' love for his fellowmen was
strengthened while in the penltentlary
and his kindness to fellow prisoners
was rewarded by the manner III which
they greeted his departure. There
was no greeting from Atlanta for
Dehs. the man, as the gates OF the
penitefhiary rolled open. giving him
his freedom, but for Debs. the prison
er. Il laundering roar OF cheers rose
from prison cells as he rode away.
To those inside it was not just the
release of another "old timer but
the departure OF a friend.
Friend to Prisoners.
He had been a friend Of every
friendleSs convict. He found the most
unlovable wrecks he could and help
ed them in their misery. He never
broke a prison rule. He transformed
q dangerous, refractory negro 'lifer"
into an exemplary prisoner. There
We're other instances Of his power to
better his fellow inmates and these
were the men who cheered Eugene
Debs as he left the prison.
American friends were not alone
in their work for their leaders, re-
lease. Debs repeatedly declared him
self in favor Of Bolshevik principles
Of government and said that he was
heart and soul for the Russian
Revolution"
Shortly after he was sent to prison,
the Soviet government of Russia en-
deavored to obtain his release in ex-
change for an American citizen
named Dolomatiano, who was in Gus
tody in Moscow. The Communist
congress of Moscow in March, 1919,
announced that Debs was slated to
become ''the future Soviet President
of the United States" The American
Federation Of Labor. after a heated
debate. voted down a resolution IA
Voring clemency for him. Late in
1920, he denounced Samuel Gompers
and declared the Soviet government
was "the hope of the race"
Welcomed by Home Folks.
On being released from prison, Debs
left Immediately for his home in
Terre Haute, with a brief stopover in
Washington. where he again CON
ferred with former Attorney General
Daugherty. On his arrival at Terre
Haute he was given public re-
ception.
Debs had announced on leaving
prison that he expected to rest before
making plans for the future and he
went into seclusion, taking no part in
public politics. except an occasional
statement of his view up to the time
he went to a Chicago hospital suffer-
ing from q nervous breakdown. This
climax was not surprising to his
friends. as they had said when he
left prison that he looked broken
and much older man than when he
had entered.
His determination to espouse the
cause of labor. however, was un-
daunted by his incarceration or by
illness. When the strike of railroad
shopmen threatened to paralyze
transportation in the Summer Of 1929,
Debs was one of the first to issue a
proclamation to the men. urging them
to stand fast and stand together, as
the future of their federation was at