The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1910-06-02
Tells the Story of the
Milwaukee Socialist
Victory.
Capitalist Reporters Ea-
ger for a Story from
the Great Socialist and
Labor!Leader.

'1clor L. Berger, the well-known So
cialist alderman at-large of Milwaukee,
was in New York city the first of the
week, and his time was taken up entirely
with reporters. The capitalist press are
anxious to know, now since the Social
Democratic party is in control of Mil
waukee, what the Socialists mean to do
from the lips of one who has been in
the forefront of the struggle there for
years.
Walking the floor of his room in the
Manhattan Hotel he told the story of
the Milwaukee victory to the several re-
porters, including the representative of
The Call.
''The Milwaukee Victory is remarka-
BILE, he said, 'when it is taken into
consideration that there were ten daily
papers in the city against US. We
did not have single. daily supporting
u.s.
And then he produced scores of ar
ticles in the local papers to prove the
histile attitude taken against the Social
Democratic party.
Berger says that he expects to see
'hS '~7oSi1i VI " lScOHSln pOll
100000 votes in the coming election for
governor of the state Of Wisconsin, He
also says it is practically accepted by
both Socialists and capitalitalst polti-
clans in Wisconsin that two Socialists
will be sent to Congress this year. These
men, he says, will doubtless be elected
from the 4th and 5th Congressional dis
tricts.
Berger put especial emphasis upon
the systematic distribution of literature,
not only during the campaign, but for
several years past in Milwaukee as be-.
ing at the bottom of the victory He
said:
During the campaign we distributed
between a million and million and a
quarter pieces of literature. For six
weeks before the election we carried on
house. This literature was printed in ten
different languages
In answer to the question to what
influence the Milwaukee success would
have in stimulating organization among
the unions, Berger stated that nineteen
out of the twenty-one Socialist alder
men elected. were members of trade un-
ions.
One of the capitalist reporters asked
hlm if it was fair to say that the So
cialists of Milwaukee are on trial Ber-
ger said:
eyes, we are willing to be put on
trial. We intend to make good.''
While he referred to the restrictions
Of the city charter which hampered their
action in Milwaukee and the necessity
of a new charter, he felt sure that the
Social Democratic party would prove that
it is able TO make good. In fact, he said
they had 'made good already.
ct will be an easy thing for the So.
cialists of Milwaukee to succeed he
said. For forty years the city admin
| istraton has been rotten and the people
| are anxious for Il clean, honest admins
| tration.''
Berger is very hopeful of the Social,
| list movement of the United States. He
said:
Within six or eight years there will
be two great parties in the United States
There will be the capitalist party, which
will represent the big capitalist interests
and the working class party Milwaukee
may be looked upon as breaking the ice
The year 1910 is the beginning of new
things in America.
| When asked if the small business in
! terests of Milwaukee are hostile to the
Socialists there, Berger replied that they
were for the most part before the cleo
ton, but they are now giving those in
power the benefit of the doubt. He
! then told a story which illustrated his
| point. at which the reporters had good
| laugh.
| Berger said the Socialists have not
been giving much attention to the far
mer in the past, but they will do so il
the future Especial plans are being
made to do this in Wisconsin. He saic
the farmers vote is essential in orde1
to carry the vote of the state. The for
mer, he said, was both exploited as pro
ducer and consumer.
Speaking of the influence the Milwau
kee victory would have on Chicago, Ber
GER said if an election had taken plac