Debs earned president Woodrow’s enmity from his speeches against his administration and the social-economic condition in America.
Woodrow Wilson was the 28th president of the United States of America. He was elected with a democratic ticket in 1912. He stayed in power up to 1921 three years after the end of the World War 1. Eugene Victor Debs was a socialist union leader. He was also a member of the Democratic Party and one of the founding members of Industrial Workers of the World.
Woodrow Wilson was essentially against Eugene Debs’s ideology that the working class was being subjected to war which only the ruling elite and the high social class members declared. Eugene claimed that it was not fair for individuals of higher social ranking to declare war then have those in the lower working classes suffer the consequences of the war including losing their lives (Debs 198).
Eugene was totally against president Woodrow’s decision to let America join the war. He subsequently made a speech on June 16 1918 in which he urged the American public to resist the president’s call to go to war. His utterances breached the Espionage act of 1917 which stated that any individual who utter anything as to discourage the citizens from carrying out national responsibilities would face criminal charges that included a fine not less than $10,000 or 20 years or more in prison (Act of may 16, 1918). Eugene was later arrested on 30th June 1918.
Debs was allowed the opportunity to address the court. He subsequently spoke for two hours in which he presented a very moving and inspirational speech. He however was not remorseful of his utterances or his activities. He was sentenced to ten years on 18th November, 1918.
Works cited.
1918 Amendments to 3 of the espionage act of 1917. Act of may 16, 1918, ch. 75, 40 Stat. 553-
Debs, Eugene. Victor.The Canton, Ohio Speech, Anti-War Speech. June 16, 1918.
