Wheeling majority. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1907-192?, 1911-07-13

special precautions for the safety
and comfort Of the men and women
lot be employed therein. The other
bin was introduced on May ~, and
prohibits the employment Of women
| in the District Of Columbia for over
leight hours day Or after 10 P. m.
Girls below the age OF - are not to
be employed after p. M
Being a member Of the Committee
ION District Of Columbia, Berger soon
noted that his colleagues on that com
mittee seldom inspected the work Of
the contractors and snbordinates in
the federal district. He learned from.
them that the COMMITTEES had no
vehicle at their disposal, and that If
member felt like going on an in
spection tour, he had to foot the
transportation bill himself.
TO remedy this situation Berger In
PRODUCED bill lon June providing for
the transfer of IA discarded automobile
stored in Government garage to the
District Committee for the official use
of its members.
/ The Socialist Representative has
taken deep interest in the affairs
of the federal district. and has been
the cause of a great deal OF publicity
regarding the horrible slum condi-
lions existing in thi scity. Also he
has exposed a graft partnership be-
tween the Government and a real
| estate ring which owns this city.
His sensational charges have forced
a special House investigation of the
Government of Washington. Berger
has been appointed on this special in
vestigating committee.
On June IA, Berge rdelivered his
maiden speech in Congress. That he
made distinct hit is now a matter
| Of history. Berger showed up the
| tariff fraud and pointed out the un-
deniable fact that there is always
free trade in labor. =
While supporting the Underwood
/ bill providing for a reduction in the
wooden tariff schedule, Berger told
his hearers plainly that the workers
would not be satisfied with sucl<
paltry reforms and that they demand
4 ed the full lsocial value of their labor.
The speech and the colloquy that
followed attracted nationwide atten-
ton. even the capitalist papers have
been forced to publish and comment
upon Berger's address. Berger has
had printed 100000 copies of his
speech for national distribution.
The Socialist Congressman does
not only represent the fifth Wisconsin
district. AS far as his time allows
he is the representative of the work
ers Of this country. But he hopes
/ that the workers will send at least a
dozen more Socialist Representatives
to help do the work at the Sixty-third
Congress.
If anyone is In trouble any
wheer Berger Is sure to hear of
him sooner or later. The other day
he received number Of appealing
letters from Panama urging him to do
something for an engineer who had
been railroaded to jail. This working
man was convicted Of involuntary.
manslaughter as a result of an I'M
ayoidable accident on the road he
had been employed.
According to all reports the worker,
Matthew H. Tough, was illegally inn
prisoned. Berger has taken up the
matter with the President, who has
promised to. have the Department Of
Justice look into this caes.
Workers of the Southwestern States
are up against the proposition of hay-t
ing thei. bread and butter taken away
by Mexican poems who have been Inn
ported into this country in violation
of the alien contract labor law. They
have written Berger and the Social
ist Representative has taken up their
complaint with the Bureau of Immi-
grafton.
A few days ago Berger wrote to-
Postmaster General Hitchcock to is
sue a general order permitting letter
carriers to do their work in this hot
weather without wearing their heavy
uniform coats.
Then Berger has taken deep in
terest in the conditions Of the EN-
pIoyes of the Postofice department
generally. He has pledged his support
to the Lloyd bin giving government
employees the rights of free speech and
petition direct to Congress. He In
tends to take up this question at an
early date, both in the committee
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