The Washington herald., 1911-06-16
COLLEAGUES GIVE
VICTOR BERGER
GREAT OVATION
More Than 200 Hear Social
lists Maiden Speech.

| The larger part oL the f1ouse en1oye'
the debate on the Underwood bill I,
revise the wool schedule for the frs
time Yesterday. Victor Berger, the onl,
Socialist Representative in Congress
made his first extended speech, and tn
House enjoyed and appreciated 1t to tn,
the Underwood measure as a step ii
the right direction.
Addressing by far the largest audi
ence that has yet listened to a speech OF
the Underwood bill. Mr.. Berger held tn,
attention OF his auditors to the last word
and his speech was punctuated from be
ginning to end with laughter and ap
plause from both sides of the House.
Suffusing his hab!tual good humo
throughout the chamber, mixing fun will
facts and epigram with statistics. with
out attempt at oratorieal effect, the quie
member from Milwaukee early put hi,
audience in good humor by what in tn,
case Of former Representative Kuster
man, also from Wisconsin, was referred
70 as "an unconscious imitation of San
bernard. In fact, early in his speech
MI. Berger brought a roar of laugbte,
by remarkIng:
That "MiIwauIxee Accent
Now. gentlemen. I ask you kindly tc
overlook my Milwaukee accent, but tc
overlook nothing else"
IL any came 10 scoff at the Milwaukee
member, whom Mr.. Macon of Georgia re-
Gently characterized as impudent, because
ne introduced bill that now seems as.
sured OF ultimate passage by the House.
they remained to listen. Before Mr.. Ber-
ger had spoken fifteen minutes-he smoke
for one hour altogether-the word was
passed around that there was something
belng said In the House. and from COM
mlttee rooms and private Offices members
nocked into the chamber jammed the
aisles and space in front Of the Speaker $
oats, and hung over the raiIings sur4
rounding the back OF the chamber. Mr.,
Berger was literally hemmed in by his
audience.
But the Socialist with the broad smile
was neither embarrassed nor stirred to
greater oratorical effort by his large au-
dience. Standing CALMLY and quietly in
one Of the narrow aisIes, Mr.. Berger
brought his Socialist message to the
House and told the protectionists they
were barking up the wrong tree" II they
thought protection TO manufacturing in
terests meant protection to the working
man.
Retains Good Humor.
The speaker good-naturedly refused to
be interrupted by questions. Representa-.
tive Stanley, who had taken advantage OF
the noon recess OF the steel investigat-
ing committee to take in the speech,
asked Mr.. Berger to yield for a question.
Mr.. Chairman" replied Mr. Berger,
this Is the first time the Socialist view
on the tariff has ever been heard in the
House, and II the gentleman will kindly
give me chance to get through with
this, then / shall be very glad to answer
any questions that he may wish to ask
and / have no doubt that he will be able
to ask them with more profundity than
now"
Prolonged laughter from both sides
of the House greeted this sally. In
answer to another request to yield, Mr..
Berger replied that he expected to be
answering questions for the next year
and half and to be doing little else.
Mr.. Berger's Views.
Here ore some of Mr.. Bergers re-
marks:
The workingman who has no other
property than his labor gets scant
protection indeed. II he wants to be
protected, he must commit a crime
Tariff meant subsidizing the manu-
facturers so as to build up Industries.
II meant the nation paying the manu-
facturer a bonus for investing his
money in manufacturing.
In every manufacturing country the
manufacturers at first demand protec-
tion and get 1t. They want protection
to conquer the nome market-the mar
ket in their own country. They de-
mand it as a matter of patriotism.
The business man is always patriotic
when there is profit in sight
In the steel mills OF Pittsburg, Chi
cago, and Milwaukee. where thirty
years ago the so-called princes of
labor used to get from SO to SIS
day, the modern white coolie gets
a.75 for twelve hours day, seven
days in the week-having no time to
praise the Lord, and no reason,
either.
I do not want to be understood to
imply that the working classes would
be benefited by free trade itself
Free trade would mean that a great
deal Of our manufacturing would be
done across the sea, practically all
the manufacturing that has not
reached the trust stage
Not for Free Trade,
After many years of the highest
kind OF tariff. any sudden change
would be disastrous, and that is where
the gentleman from Alabama CIR.
Underwood was wise.
The measure now under discussion
is Of small Immediate concern to the
working class. In itself. it means no
material change IN the conditions Of
woman But because II is in line
with social and political evolu-
ton, because It tends 10 destroy the
old tariff superstition, because 1t tends
to break down the barriers between
nations, and to bring into closer re-
lations the various peoples OF the
world, 1 shall support the bill