Lincoln Discussion Symposium

Rob, I know your personal #1 single volume Lincoln biography was written by Benjamin Thomas, so I shall guess Thomas.

Ida Tarbell ?

Sorry gentlemen, but neither answer is correct.

Next clue. This person is not a literary figure.

Best
Rob

A former colleague,
a critic or a family member?

Sorry Anita, but none of those descriptions would fit this person.

Best
Rob

Dwight Eisenhower?

Sorry Roger, but it isn't Eisenhower.

Next clue. Sandburg and this person were over 20 years apart in age. He and Sandburg met for the first time very briefly in 1908.

Best
Rob

Humphrey Bogart?

Sorry Mike, but it isn't him.

Best
Rob

Guess it's time for another clue.

They were able to remain friends despite differing opinions on World War One.

Best
Rob

Eleanor Roosevelt?

Nope, it isn't Eleanor.

Although they met briefly in 1908, they didn't become close friends until 1921 when this person moved to Elmhurst, Illinois. (Their disagreement about World War One happened post-war)).

Best
Rob

After thinking about this for days and eliminating all the guesses, I'm left with Eugene Debs thanks to your last set of clues. I know they were friends and I think they met as neighbors.
But I don't know if they met in 1908 or about their disagreement. So it may not be Debs!

Anita,

You nailed it. It was Eugene Debs. Debs and Sandburg met very briefly in 1908 during one of Deb's many runs for the presidency, but they never had detailed talks until Debs moved to Elmhurst to stay in a sanitarium for his health shortly after being released from prison in 1921. Sandburg and his family had moved to Elmhurst and lived a short distance from the sanitarium.

As for the disagreement, Debs, of course, spent time in the Atlanta Federal Penitentiary after making anti-war speeches. Sandburg didn't necessarily like war, but he said that once a nation was at war citizens owed it to basically keep their opinions to themselves. Debs never held Sandburg's views against him and the pair were friends up top Debs' death in 1926.

This is a picture of the two taken in Elmhurst along with Sandburg's daughter, Margaret (Source: University of Illinois Sandburg Digital Collection).



Best
Rob

Rob,
Thanks for the history lesson and a challenging stumper. It's fun to imagine what these two giants discussed when they met during Debs last years.