Eugene DebsEugene DebsAmerican SocialistAmerican Socialist

Pullman, Illinois – self contained city for Pullman workers

The Pullman Company, citing falling revenue after the economic  Panic of 1893 had cut the wages of itsemployees by 28%

Workers asked forbetter pay and a shorter work week

To gain support unioncalled a boycott of the handling trainswith Pullman Cars

Nationwide Pullman Strikeaffecting most lines west of Detroit, and more than250,000 workers in 27 state

Debs was instrumentalin the founding of the American Railway Union (ARU) one of the nation's first industrial unions

Called for an end of the boycott fearingother unions mighttake ARU’s support

The membership ignored his warnings and refused to handle Pullman cars or any other railroad cars attached to them, including cars containing U.S. Mail by refusing to show up for work

To keep the mail running, President Grover Cleveland used the U.S. Army to break the strike.

The Federal Government  intervened, obtaining an  injunction againstthe strike on thetheory that the strikers had obstructed the U.S. Mail

13 strikers were killed, and thousands were blacklisted An estimated $80-million worth of property was damaged

Debs was found guilty of contempt of court for violating the injunction and sent to federal prison

Debs was represented by Clarence Darrow who had been the lawyerfor the Pullman Company

“Switched sides" to represent Debs.

Darrow, a leading civil libertarian lawyer made a substantialfinancial sacrificeto represent Debs

At the time of his arrest for mail obstruction, Debs was not yet a socialist

While serving his six monthterm in the jail Debs received a steady stream of mailfrom socialists around the country

Sent a copy of Das Kapital  

Debs emerged from jail at the end of his sentence a changed man.

Spent the final three decades of his life fighting for the socialist cause.

Debs founded the Social Democratic Party of the United States 

Ran as the Socialist Party's candidate for the presidency in 1900, 1904, 1908, 1912 and 1920 the last time from a prison cell

Debs was noted for his oratory, and his speech denouncing American participation in World War I  led to his second arrest in 1918

He was convicted under the Espionage Act of 1917  and sentenced to a term of 10 years

His trial defense called no witnesses, asking that Debs be allowed to address the court in his defense.

That unusual request was granted, and Debs spoke for two hours.

Your Honor, years ago I recognized my kinship with all living beings, and I made up my mind that I was not one bit better than the meanest on earth.

I said then, and I say now, that while there is a lower class, I am in it, and while there is a criminal element I am of it, and while there is a soul in prison, I am not free.

Debs ran for president in the 1920 election while in prison

He received 919,799, write-in votes (3.4%),

President Harding commuted his sentence in December 1921. Seymour Stedman,

vice-presidential candidate

When Debs was released from prison, the other prisoners sent him off with "a roar of cheers" and a crowd of 50,000 greeted his return to Terre Haute to the accompaniment of band music.