The Espionage Act of 1917 and Eugene Debs

Eugene Debs

The Espionage Act of 1917 was one of the first laws created since the Sedition Act of 1798 that was passed in order to subjugate critics of the American government and its policies. President Woodrow Wilson passed the Espionage Act in 1917 after America formally got involved in World War I. The American government eventually used the law in order to persecute socialists during the Red Scare of 1919-1920. The Espionage Act is still an official law in America, though it is seldom used.

Woodrow Wilson

During the Red Scare Eugene Debs, the Socialist candidate for President, was imprisoned. Debs had previously run for President many times, often getting a fair amount of votes. Debs' was accused of trying to persuade drafted soldiers to not fight in World War I. Debs decided to run for President from prison in 1920. President Harding eventually pardoned him in 1921. The case for Debs is interesting since it can be viewed that Wilson used the Act to silence a political opponent. 

It is my belief that without the free exchange of ideas a government will eventually deteriorate. By limiting potentially valid criticism of the American government’s involvement in World War I, Wilson’s administration was placed in a bubble. The hallmarks of great leaders are those who are willing to accept criticism and learn from their mistakes. Wilson was not such a leader. The Espionage Act is a horrible law that placed a black eye on America’s claims that they were the “land of the free.”