Los Angeles herald., 1910-04-19
BERGER PROMISES
MILWAUKEE MANY
CIVIC INNOVATIONS
Socialist Administration to Intro
duce Best Features from
European Cities
MUCH UPLlFT WORK PLANNED
Every Effort Will Be Made to Bet
ter Conditions Among the
Poorer Classes
MUCH UPLIFT WORK PLANNED
Associated Press1

Democratic party in Milwaukee, today
issued a statement giving an outline
of the principles that will guide the
Social Democratic administration of
Milwaukee during the next two years,
beginning with tomorrow, when the
inaugural ceremonies Will take place.
Mr.. Berger's statement in full is as
follows:
"A detailed review of what the So
cial Democratic administration of Mil
waukee intends to accomplish during
the next two years will be contained
In the mayors inaugural message.
81 wish only to state the general
principles upon which this party stands
and "pon which we were elected on
April 5. I. Of course, will not repeat
the platform.
'In the first place, the Social Demo-
cratic party of Milwaukee is an inte-
gral part of the Socialist party OF
America. In Wisconsin we are OFF,
cially named the Social Democratic
party, which is the customary interna-
tional name.
''The Socialist party of America is
the American expression OF the inter-
national movement among modern
wageworkers for better food, better
houses, sufficient sleep, more leisure,
more education and more culture.
REVOLUTION IN INDUSTRY
"The founders OF tne TepuDllC ue-
clared for political freedom. But we
call attention to the fact that since
the birth of this nation a revolution
in industry has taken place. Formerly
hand labor and Individual effort pro-
duced the necessities of mankind. To-
day machine labor and associated labor
are the means of producing these ne
cessities. And, while in that former
time, il was the imperative duty or the
government to protect the Individual
in possession OF the property he had
produced SO today II Is equally the
duty of the government to protect as
ISOLATED labor, that Is to say, the whole
body of working people. in the pos
session of products OF their IoI.
"The present system of social pro-
duction by individual ownership has
nroduced two classes-the propertyless
cIass and the capital class. The mid
die class, once the backbone OF this
great nation, is fast disappearing In
the mill of competition and the issue
is now between the first two classes.
All attempts to obscure this Issue or
To DELAY the settlement are futile, Tor
all other issues will be speedily ap-
eorhed bv II. Thus 1t develops that
the battle for human rights has become
a hattie to determine which form OF
government we shall have In the 1u-
ture-plutocracy or democracy
ECONOMIC
political liberty alone has became
inadequate; we must nave poth poll.i-
col and economic liberty To secure
This Is the aim of the social democracy.
an CITY affairs we stand for the pub
uc ownership of municipal utilities.
we are all aware, however that MIL
waukee does not enjoy seh-goVerh-
ment, and that as rule no steps can
be taken in that direction wlthout an
Natn ln0iClafnTA
ison. -
I'm municipal affairs the social de-
,,ocracv stands also for radical changes
that will bring means or production
into the hands of the people. IL pc
l;eyes in self-government Tor the city'
the initiative. the referendum ana tne
right of recall in just and equitable
AVIATION In efficient sanitary inspection
of workshops and houses, and in the
nuhlic control of the food supply IN
the interest of the public health, ana
In the highest development of SON
able public service. At the proper time
the social democracy will Initiate these
and other things.
.sxUe cali attention to the fact that
the measures we urge are in no way
a complete cure for existing evils, nor
are they necessarily Socialistic meas
ures. They are to be viewed rather as
palliatives capable of being carried out
even under present conditions. under
no circumstances should the working
neonle rest content with municipal i'm
nrovements which are merely tempo
rarv In their nature and must be en-
tirelv Inadequate. They should move
onward to the conquest OF all public
powers, to an entire change from the
present system for one which shall Sc
cure to the people, collectively, tine
means of production and distrlputlon'
FRANCHISES BREED ooRRUPTIoN
"The handspring of corruption in
municipal affairs is found In the fact
that few aldermen or officials have In
their power to give away or sell fran
chises to capitalists who thereby make
millions. The temptation thus offered
our public officials to secure a share IN
the millions thus given away is too
great for the average man to with
stand If the city should operate its
public utilities the motive and the
opportunity for bribery would be gone,
even IL minor evils and breaches Of
trust might continue, owing TO the cor
rupting influences of the capitaistic
system, which makes money-getting
the sole object of life. The social de-
mocracy, therefore, objects to more
competition in public utilities-more
competition means more corruption.
1--WE stand for the public ownership
NJ nublic utilities; but until we reach
this. we will enforce the utmost ex-
tension and possible service from these
utilities, as far as the present laws
will permit.
1--WE look upon the contract system
also, as a danger. 1t constantly in
duces contractors to bribe city officials
on the one hand and to exploit their
workmen on the other. Moreover, it
salways in the interest of the city
that citizens earn decent wages; there
fore. instead of contractors, the labor
unions ough to be encouraged.
"The city should stand pledged, as
far as the charter permits, to employ
onlv union labor, at eight hours a
Gay. and should require the same of all
contractors doing city work. The
money made out of the city by con-
tractors will better go toward the re-
lief of the unemployed. first. by the
improvement of streets, second, by the
establishment of public coal and wood
wards and a public ice house.
s'In this climate, ice is as necessary
IN summer as coal is in the winter.
These necessities should be sold at