File:Letter signed Gene (Eugene V. Debs), Terre Haute, Ind., to Frank (Frank P. O'Hare), January 12, 1918.jpg

English: In 1912, Frank O'Hare became editor of the Rip-Saw, a socialist monthly issued from St. Louis. He was married to the prominent socialist Kate Richards O'Hare, who was imprisoned during World War I (April 1919).

Transcription:

[January] 12th, 1918 Dear Frank:- I have just finished your letter. There is no answer beyond saying that I am entirely satisfied. I have not a particle of feeling. Malice I never had a trace of in my nature toward you and could not have. As you referred specifically and with bitter reproach to Kate’s “associate” in one of the opening paragraphs of your previous letter and charged that not one comradely word had been spoken in her behalf by her “associates” editors, how could I help taking your rebuke to myself? If I felt unduly sensitive upon the point it is simply because of conception of comradely duty, for if I felt myself guilty for a moment of ignoring or deserting a comrade such as Kate when she was attacked while she was fighting our battle and attacked in the most cowardly and brutal way, I would feel myself to be the meanest and most contemptible of creatures, and it is in that light that your letter placed me according to my interpretation of it. This may account for the spirit in which I resented the imputation so clearly implied in what you wrote. In your accusation of neglect and desertion against Kate’s “associate” editors you made no exception, and I as the chief among them could not but feel in the face of such a plain and direct charge that the entire burden of it was meant for me, notwithstanding I had done all I could, little enough, God knows, to help Kate under the circumstances. Had you known how keenly I felt the outrage perpetrated upon her, how deeply I sympathized with her in the hardships she had to bear, and how gladly I would have shared it all with her if I only could, you would never have written as you did and you would not blame me for answering as I did. You were particular to say in your letter that you did not blame Phil but you were not so particular to say that you did not mean me. Your whole bitter tirade was directed against Kate’s “associate” editors and party leaders to which you made Phil the sole exception. I was glad at the time, and still am, that you were at least just to Phil. But I had rather you had accused me outright of almost any infamous crime than to have charged me with the base betrayal and desertion of a loved and loyal comrade such as Kate has always been to me and I have always tried to be to her. But let it all pass and be forgotten. There is nothing that rankles here. Nothing. Your letter just received wipes it all out. Perhaps I should have made more allowance for your over-charged feelings. You had all the reason in the world to be super-heated with indignation and resentment. But let us now deal with the present and the future. I am only sorry not to have the physical strength to do what I would like to do as my share in Kate’s behalf. I believe I know what my duty is and I want to come as near as I can doing it. The [February] S.R., chiefly through Kate herself, will give her story to the world. The readers will want that from her and from no one else. The rest of us will help as best we can. I only want to say in closing that I am at your service. If you have any suggestion let me have it ; if you know of any way in which I can help command me. With love and loyalty to you and Kate and to the other four dear little O’Hares I am Yours always, Gene
Title: Letter signed Gene [Eugene V. Debs], Terre Haute, Ind., to Frank [Frank P. O'Hare], January 12, 1918