Eugene V. Debs was an American union leader who co-founded the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW). A die-hard socialist, he stood five times as the candidate of the Socialist Party of America for President of the United States. Even though he could not achieve his dream of becoming the president of the nation, he eventually became one of the best-known socialists living in the United States. Born to French immigrants in the United States, he was not even able to complete his schooling. Forced to drop out of school at the age of 14, he began working as a painter in railroad yards before becoming a fireman. Having struggled a lot in his youth, he developed a compassion for all human beings, especially poor workers, and helped to organize the local chapter of Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen (BLF) of which he became the national secretary and treasurer. Over the years, he gained a name for himself because of his community service and went on to become president of the newly established American Railway Union. By this time he had also ventured into politics and was a committed adherent of the international socialist movement. He was a highly effective public speaker gifted with excellent oratory skills.