The Facts
Eugene Debs was a political leader under the umbrella of the Socialist party of American in the early 1900s. He held the position of Socialist Party presidential candidate five times in a row. He made an anti-war speech on June 16, 1918, in Canton Ohio while attending a socialist convention, which led to his imprisonment. The speech protested the involvement of the United States in the First World War. Additionally, his speech condemned the jailing of three members of the socialist party for opposing the war. The department of justice convicted him for the speech in 1918 on the assumption that he used criminal phrases. The Supreme Court upheld the conviction under the 1917 Espionage act in 1919 and sentenced him to ten years in prison together with life disenfranchisement (Debs v. United States, 1919).
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First Amendment Issue Argued
The first amendment issue argued in the case was the violation of Debs’ right to free speech. Debs speech majored on socialism, its expansion, and a prophecy of the ultimate success of socialists. The argument made by the defendant supported the right of free speech as entrenched in the first amendment. Debs’ counsel argued against the sufficiency of the evidence to link him to violations of the Espionage act as purported by the prosecutor. On the account of the general theme of socialism and freedom of speech, the defendant argued that the first amendment protected his right of speech.
How did the Court Rule?
The Supreme Court found Debs guilty on the two accounts. The Court ruled against Debs in 1919 and sentenced him to ten years in prison for each of the charges. According to the ruling of the court, the jail time for each account was to run concurrently. Additionally, the court disenfranchised Debs for life. The court originally sent him to serve his prison sentence in Moundsville State Prison in Virginia.
Why did the Court Rule that Way?
The ruling was made under the June 15, 1917, Espionage act. Under the act, the Supreme Court found Debs guilty on two accounts. Firstly, the defendant’s speech incited and caused disloyalty, insubordination, and mutiny that dissuaded the naval and military forces of the United States from playing their role in the First World War. Secondly, the court found Debs guilty for obstruction of enlistment and recruitment of naval and military personnel by the United States government.
How the Ruling Affected American Society and Jurisprudence?
After the ruling, the popularity of Debs and socialism rose in the United States. The rise of his popularity led to a transfer from Virginia to Atlanta Federal Penitentiary. The number of people calling for his release from prison increased as well as his support for the presidency. In 1920, he ran for the presidency while in jail and garnered over 900,000 votes. President Harding released him on December 25, 1921, after consulting with the attorney general. The ruling affected the jurisprudence of America. It awakened the public and the justice system to the need to define the freedom of speech.
Was the Ruling Justified at the Time?
The ruling of the Supreme Court against Debs was justified at the time. The Supreme Court used the Schenck v. United States (1919) ruling as precedence. In the Schenck v. United States (1919) case, the Supreme Court convicted Schenck for distributing leaflets that opposed drafting of readers to the military service for the First World War (Schenck v. United States, 1919). The court was justified at the time in using Schenck v. United States (1919) as precedence and to uphold the Espionage act of 1917.
Do you think it would be justified in 2014?
A person freedom of speech and expression is protected 2014. However, a person cannot engage in hate speech or actions that destabilizes the rule of law. Therefore, the ruling that the judge gave would still be applicable in 2014.
- Debs v. United States, 63 L. Ed. 566 (Supreme Court 1919).
- Schenck v. United States, 39 S. Ct. 247 (Supreme Court 1919).
