The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-07-12
BERGER EXPECTS
 SOCIALIST GAINS Sees Trouble for Both the
 Old Parties HAVE LOST COHESION Says the Socials Will Poll at Least Two Million Votes in the Coming Election--Is Considered
 Good "Jollier''
By c. E. STEWART

JulJ hs-ADpctiaHt ANNP resentative Victor L. Berber of Wiscon- sin, the only socialist who ever sat in Congress, announces his belief that the socialists will poll greatly increased vote next November on account of the sit uation now existing in the two great parties.
 If MT. Berger is anything outside of being a socalst. he is a humorist. Since the Chicago and Baltimore conventions Mir Berger declared he saw no reason for revising his estimate that the socialists will poll not less than 2,o0o0o0 votes in the coming election.
 "'During the republican convention at Chicago and especially at the close of it." said MT. Berger many voters of the republican faith were convinced that this convention was the beginning of the end of the republican party. And during the democratic convention at Baltimore, and particularly at the close of it, many voters of the democratic faith were also convinced that this convention marked the end of the democratic party.
 sThe reason for this is simple enough; both old parties have lost absolutely thelr cohesion. While there is practically no difference between the republican and the democratic parties, there is a deep cleav- age with both parties.
 Even in the question of the tariff there is hardly any difference between them," MT. Berger declared The plat forms of the old parties are hardly ever read, and even more rarely carried out. Tn main thing to be considered then is the personnel of the candidates.
 Roosevelt Influence
 We all know who MT. Taft is and where he stands. He is we'll meaning and conservative gentleman of a great deal of judicial temperament and com paratively little executive ability, who was selected by MT. Roosevelt as the heir to my policies when there was no other policy left but the continuous use of a bass drum and MT. Roosevelt took that to Africa.
 The opposition to the republican party is represented by MT. Roosevelt, and where MT. Roosevelt stands on all of the great questions of today nobody seems to know. l doubt whether MT. Roosevelt knows himself, because with his brilliant but very cratic mind, he Is Id DIG tO IeN6IS9 anu CAduSt dii his principles and convictions before to- morrow afternoon.
 If MT. Roosevelt gets his third party into the field. we may look for a brand new declaration of principles and con- victions with each issue of the morning sn6 afternoon papers, and it will take d fast nan to keep up with his party's cCnvictions.h
 Situation With Democrats
 MT. Berger is just about as severe in his criticism of the democratic party and it's nominees. He declared that the party for the first time in it's history nominated a schoolmaster for President.
 He said:
 T shall ignore the way MT. Wilson was nominated after William Jennings Bryan, in a dictatorial fashion. had made impos- sihe the nomination of either Clark CT Underwood
 He said that MT. Wilson was "very much handicapped by his past" and that it was unfortunate for him that he had written books. He intimated that the New Jersy governor had written too often, and not too we'll. The party that is bound to gain from this evident disin- tegration and deterioration of both She capitalist parties,' said Representative Berger, lis the political expression of the working classes, the socialist party. It IS the only politlcal organization that seems to have a positive goal"
 MT Berger would not make any predic- tions when the socialist party would like ly get control of the government. or just what would be their policy after captur ing the reins of power Mir. Berger gives on the impression of being something of 'Jollier." If the socialist party never inci eases. but on the contrary wiggles out as most of the side show parties do. MT. Berger will be found going to ruin with the country, along with the old parties and having just as good a time as anybody, while 1t is going on.