Tag: Eugene Victor Debs

Hellraisers Journal: Eugene V. Debs on Tour for Social Democracy of America, Found in Delaware and Washington, D.C.

Janet RayeEugene Victor Debs
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The issue is Socialism versus Capitalism.
I am for Socialism because I am for humanity.
We have been cursed with the reign of gold long enough.
-Eugene Victor Debs

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Hellraisers Journal, Monday March 21, 1898
Eugene V. Debs on Tour-Found in Wilmington, Baltimore, & Washington

From the Wilmington Every Evening of March 19, 1898:

AD, The Social Democrat of SDA, LW p5, Mar 19, 1898

Debs on Social Democracy.

Eugene V Debs, head of the Social Democracy movement, and C. Wesley Callahan, the secretary, explained the movement to a fair-sized audience in Turn Hall last evening. B. Lundy Kent presided. The aim of socialism is industrial equality, to be obtained by the co-operative commonwealth. The people, as explained by Debs are to seize the instruments and all means of production. The State is to run business as well as government. The local Social Democracy is to meet on Sunday afternoons at 610½ Market street.

———-

[Ad for The Social Democrat is from the Duluth Labor World]

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Hellraisers Journal: From The Eye Opener: Eugene V. Debs on Indicted Socialists and Attacks on Russia

Janet RayeEugene Victor Debs
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I have no country to fight for;
my country is the earth,
and I am a citizen of the world.
-Eugene V. Debs

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Hellraisers Journal, Sunday March 17, 1918
Eugene V. Debs on Indictments of Socialist Comrades

From The Eye Opener of March 16, 1918, page 2:

Indicted, Unashamed and Unafraid.
by Eugene V. Debs

Socialist Party of America Button

Sunday morning, March 10, the press dispatches in the daily papers announced the indictment the day before in the federal court at Chicago of Adolph Germer, National Secretary; Victor L. Berger, member of the National Executive Committee; J. Louis Engdahl, editor of The Eye Opener; William F. Kruse, Secretary of the Young People’s Socialist League; and Irwin St. John Tucker, writer and lecturer, all of the Socialist Party [of America]. The charge against them is seditious utterance and interference with the prosecution of the war.

The indictments were found Feb. 2, we are told, but secrecy was preserved regarding the proceeding until the administration at Washington could be consulted and its sanction secured before entering the prosecution.

It is thus made clear that this indictment, while ostensibly directed against certain individuals, is in fact the indictment of the Socialist Party by the national administration at Washington.

If Germer, Berger, Engdahl, Kruse, and Tucker are guilty, so are we all. They have but spoken and written what the Socialist Party stands for, and if Socialism, the thing we stand for and shall continue to stand for, is criminal and subject to indictment and prosecution, then the administration, to be logical and consistent, should indict, prosecute, and imprison not only the spokesmen of the party but its entire membership of more than 100,000 social rebels, who in opposing the damnable profiteering system which has precipitated this bloody deluge upon humanity are alike guilty of sedition and disloyalty in the bleared eyes of the autocratic rulers of this country.

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Hellraisers Journal: Eugene V. Debs Opines on Religious Laws, Religious Liberty & the Sabbatarian Penitentiary

Janet RayeEugene Victor Debs
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Quote Debs Religious Bigots, Terre Haute Tb, Mar 1, 1908

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Hellraisers Journal, Friday March 6, 1908
Terre Haute, Indiana – Eugene V. Debs on Legislated Sabbatarianism

From the Terre Haute Tribune of March 1, 1908:

Progress by Prohibition

by Eugene V. Debs

HMP, EVD, Eugene OR Guard, May 30, 1907

Some well-meaning but deluded people think that all wickedness can be overcome and the millennium ushered in by prohibition. Anything they do not happen to like is bad, according to their ethics, and forthwith is put upon their prohibition list. These people strain at gnats and swallow camels. They throw a fit over a man taking a drink at 11:30 or playing a game of cards, but they are not concerned about wage-slavery, or child-sweating, which have a thousand victims where the saloon has one.

These people are not satisfied to be permitted to spend their Sundays as they choose, but they must see to it that others spend their Sundays in the same way. According to these fanatics, practically everything in town is to be closed Sunday except the churches. This means that Terre Haute is to be converted into a sabbatarian penitentiary. The gospel of gloom will then be triumphant and the spirit of bigotry and intolerance will seek other fields to conquer.

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Hellraisers Journal: Eugene Debs: “A worldwide, humanity embracing revolution is on the calendar.”

Janet RayeEugene Victor Debs
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EVD Quote, cry for freedom, Duluth Truth, Feb 15, 1918
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Hellraisers Journal, Sunday February 17, 1918
Eugene V. Debs on the Coming Social Revolution

From the Duluth Truth of February 15, 1918:

Towards the Rising Sun

by Eugene V. Debs

EVD by LS Chumley, ISR Jan 1916

The earth is in travail; the race is suffering from the pangs of parturition. A worldwide, humanity embracing revolution is on the calendar—in red letters—of the 20th Century. The impending social crisis is the most portentous that ever issued from the womb of time.

Historical epochs mark the growth of man, the progress of events, the rise and sweep of civilization.

Prophets and philosophers, catching the spirit of coming events, force and proclaim them; and as they approach, poets and pamphleteers, orators and agitators, dramatists and musicians, animated by the new spirit, acclaim the glad tidings of the sunrise of the morrow.

These are the heralds of the dawn; the torchbearers of progress, the evangels of advancing civilization.

Living, they are hated and reviled, crucified and damned.

Dead, they live again and forever.

Freedom is the universal shibboleth of the present age.

And as the cry for freedom surges from the soul and leaps from the lips of Labor, a thousand and million proletarians, in all the zones that girdle the globe, lift their bowed bodies from the dust, and join in the swelling anthem of the Social Revolution.

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Hellraisers Journal: Eugene Debs on attacks against Socialist Party: “anti-patriotic, seditious, traitorous…”

Janet RayeEugene Victor Debs
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I have no country to fight for;
my country is the earth,
and I am a citizen of the world.
-Eugene V. Debs

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Hellraisers Journal, Tuesday February 12, 1918
Eugene Debs Defends the Socialist Party of America

From the Chicago Eye-Opener of February of 9, 1918:

The Campaign This Year.

by Eugene V. Debs

EVD by LS Chumley, ISR Jan 1916

The Socialist Party is emerging from another struggle crowned with victory.

When the party declared its attitude toward war at the St. Louis convention [April 7-14, 1917] it was fiercely attacked from within as well as without as an anti-patriotic, seditious, traitorous organization. The chairman of the committee that framed the war resolution was indicted and sentenced to penitentiary for a term of five years. The National Secretary [Adolph Germer] was arrested upon one charge, indicted and tried upon another, and is still under bail pending further trial.

Hundreds of the party’s speakers and organizers were arrested and jailed, and hundreds of others forcibly prevented from speaking. Halls for meeting purposes were denied our lecturers, secret service agents dogged the heels of our comrades, while rowdies and strong-arm men, including not a few in the uniform of United States soldiers and sailors, were incited to raid our local headquarters, sack our offices, and break up our meetings. The party’s papers were either suppressed outright or sorely hampered by the authorities.

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Hellraisers Journal: Eugene V. Debs: “The Martyred Apostles of Labor,” Judicially Murdered, Chicago, November 11, 1887

Janet RayeEugene Victor Debs
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The time will come when our silence
will be more powerful
than the voices you strangle today.
-August Spies

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Hellraisers Journal: Saturday February 5, 1898
Eugene V. Debs Remembers the Chicago Martyrs of 1887

From The New Time Magazine of February 1898:

EVD, New Time Magazine, Feb 1898

THE MARTYRED APOSTLES OF LABOR.

By EUGENE V. DEBS.

The century now closing is luminous with great achievements. In every department of human endeavor marvelous progress has been made. By the magic of the machine which sprang from the inventive genius of man, wealth has been created in fabulous abundance. But, alas, this wealth, instead of blessing the race, has been the means of enslaving it. The few have come in possession of all, and the many have been reduced to the extremity of living by permission. A few have had the courage to protest. To silence these so that the dead-level of slavery could be maintained has been the demand and command of capital-blown power. Press and pulpit responded with alacrity. All the forces of society were directed against these pioneers of industrial liberty, these brave defenders of oppressed humanity—and against them the crime of the century has been committed.

Albert R. Parsons, August Spies, George Engel, Adolph Fischer, Louis Lingg, Samuel Fielden, Michael Schwab and Oscar Neebe paid the cruel penalty in prison cell and on the gallows.

They were the first martyrs in the cause of industrial freedom, and one of the supreme duties of our civilization, if indeed we may boast of having been redeemed from savagery, is to rescue their names from calumny and do justice to their memory.

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Hellraisers Journal: Eugene V. Debs Defends I. W. W., Declares Charges “Absurd and Malicious”

Janet RayeEugene Victor Debs
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EVD Quote, Revolutionary Solidarity, ISR Feb 1918

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Hellraisers Journal, Sunday February 3, 1918
Eugene V. Debs Defends the Industrial Workers of the World

From the International Socialist Review of February 1918:

THE I. W. W. BOGEY

By EUGENE V. DEBS

WWIR, Chg IWW, EVD re Stanley J. Clark, ISR Feb 1918

The morning paper I have just read contains an extended press dispatch from Washington, under screaming headlines, making the startling disclosure that a worldwide conspiracy to overthrow the existing social order has been unearthed by the secret service agents of the government The basis of the conspiracy is reported to have been the discovery of some guns and ammunition in the hold of a Russian freighter just arrived at a Pacific port in charge of a Bolsheviki crew, from which it has been deduced that the guns must have been sent by the Russian revolutionists to the I. W. W. of the United States in pursuance of a conspiracy of the Russian reds, the Sinn Fein leaders of Ireland, and the American I. W. W.s to overthrow all the governments of the civilized world.

This is really too much!

We are not told how the Sinn Feiners happen to get in on this universal conspiracy, but as their name, like that of the Bolsheviki and the I. W. W., has great potency as a bogey to frighten the feeble-minded, the inventors of this wonderful cock-and-bull story may well be allowed this additional license to their perfervid imagination.

Everything that happens nowadays that the ruling classes do not like and everything that does not happen that they do like is laid at the door of the I. W. W. Its name is anathema wherever capitalism wields the lash and drains the veins of its exploited victims.

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Hellraisers Journal: Eugene Debs for the Appeal to Reason: Calls Goldfield Report “an exceptional document.”

Janet RayeEugene Victor Debs
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The people will ultimately see that
socialism is their only hope
-Eugene Victor Debs

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Hellraisers Journal, Wednesday January 29, 1908
From the Appeal to Reason: Eugene Debs on the Goldfield Report

From the Appeal of January 25, 1908:

DEBS AT THE WHITE HOUSE
—–
Interviews President and Arranges for
Congressional Action on Suppressed
Goldfield Report
-Washington News Service Established.
—–

BY EUGENE V. DEBS.
Staff Correspondent Appeal to Reason.
—–

EVD, Roosevelt, Goldfield, AtR, Jan 25, 1908

Washington, Jan. 17.-Arrangements have been completed here for a special news service, and a weekly letter to the Appeal by a correspondent whose reports of the proceedings in congress will be made from the Socialist point of view. The Washington column will therefore contain matter which does not find its way into capitalistic newspapers, and will be a feature of special interest to Appeal readers.

It is generally understood here that there is to be no legislation of any account by the present session of congress. Measures of little or no consequence have been introduced for no other purpose than to consume time between now and the approaching national conventions of the two old parties. Labor legislation is urgently demanded as usual by committees representing trade unions, but all such efforts will as in the past be barren of results.

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Hellraisers Journal: Eugene Debs in New York City to Boom Haywood for President, Plans to Unite Two Socialists Parties

Janet RayeEugene Victor Debs
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The people will ultimately see that
socialism is their only hope
-Eugene Victor Debs

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Hellraisers Journal, Saturday January 25, 1908
New York, New York – Debs Calls for Nomination of Haywood

From the New York Tribune of January 23, 1908:

DEBS HERE TO BOOM HAYWOOD.
—–
Says President Roosevelt Is Aiding Spread
of Socialism-May Unite Factions.

SPA, SLP, emblems buttons

Eugene V. Debs was in New York yesterday to help along the plan to amalgamate the two warring factions, the Socialist party and the Socialist Labor party, the latter representing the De Leon socialists. He said he was for William D. Haywood, secretary of the Western Federation of Miners, as the Socialist candidate for President.

A conference will be held to-day between Debs, the leaders of both parties and Haywood, at which a slate will be informally selected. The leaders on both sides said yesterday that it is practically certain that the amalgamation will take place.

[Debs said last night:

This financial crisis will end in an international crisis such as this world has not seen in our time. Then socialism will have its best chance.

President Roosevelt has done more to further the spread of the socialist propaganda than any man I know of. His policy, or lack of policy, whichever way you take it, along with his currency and tariff views, is paving the way for socialism. The more he says the longer the bread line will grow, and the people will ultimately see that socialism is their only hope. When the international crisis comes socialism will spread all over the world.

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[Photograph added.]

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Hellraisers Journal: Eugene Debs Defends Thomas McGrady “to rescue the memory of a faithful and devoted comrade.” Part II

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Thomas McGrady found joy in social service
And his perfect consecration to his social ideals
Was the crowning glory of his life
And the bow of promise at his death.
-Eugene Victor Debs

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Hellraisers Journal, Tuesday January 14, 1908
Eugene V. Debs Defends the Memory of Thomas McGrady, Part II

From the Appeal to Reason of January 11, 1908:

CALUMNIATING THE DEAD.

BY EUGENE V. DEBS.

[Part II]

Father Thomas McGrady, Arena, July 1907

Now, as to the next lie-and we must be excused for so characterizing these malicious calumnies-the lie that McGrady renounced the doctrines of Socialism. Five months prior to his death, when already stricken with what he knew to be his fatal illness, he wrote his last paper on “The Catholic Church and Socialism,” which appeared in the Arena for July, 1907. Let anyone who dare say that he renounced Socialism read this article, his last published word upon the subject, and find the least possible justification for such an atrocious libel. On the contrary, in this paper McGrady exposes the hypocrisy of the church, and its secret alliance with capitalism and reaffirms his absolute faith in the principles of the Socialist movement. This article, which may be regarded as McGrady’s last authoritative declaration, and which should be read, not only by every Catholic, but by every seeker after truth closes with the following paragraph:

The triumph of monopoly will swell the ranks of Socialism by the accession of the toilers and the middle professional class. Catholics will gradually break their allegiance with Rome, for necessity will compel them to join the army of revolutionists which the church condemns. The political character of the church will be revealed by her open defense of commercial and industrial despotism, for when there are only two classes she will be driven to the necessity of committing herself, and taking the side of the exploiter, the sacred charm of her mysterious influence will fade, religious rebellion will follow, and Rome will ultimately go down in ignominious defeat with her capitalistic allies.

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