Wheeling majority. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1907-192?, 1913-02-27
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by the Post Office until a Department
of Railroads could be created, sub
mitted on February is, was the Gull
mination of Berger's legislative rec
ord. It is undoubtedly true that this
resolution had much to do with the
decision of the railroad officials a
day or soNater to accept arbitration
under the ENdman act, the point on
which the strike was threatened
While the resolution had no concrete
value until strike was called and
continued for week, nevertheless its
moral effect was tremendous, and, it
unquestionably would have been seized
upon by millions as the solution for
the economic distress which would
have been produced by any prolonged
tie-up of the railroads. The railroad
owners realized this, and so did CAPT
talist editors generally, and the fol-
lowing editorial from the reactionary
"Springfield (Mass.) Republican" was
a typical expression of this feeling:
Congressman Berger, the Social
list, is taking advantage of what is
probably his last opportunity as rep
resentative, in introducing his resolu-
ton regarding the threatened railroad
strike No one just now will regard
it seriously, but within two weeks
after a genuine tie-up of the 81 rail
roads east of Chicago by the firemen,
the Berger resolution might seem to
millions of people to embody the vital
necessity of the hour. Seizure Of the
railroads by the president Of the
United States. with directions from
Congress to operate thems would be
drastic, but, on the other hand, any
prolonged tie-up would bring many
cities face to face to starvation
Under the conditions of distress and
general business dislocation that
would prevail, the people would STOP
at nothing to relieve the intolerable
situation. The railroad companies
and the firemen have this to think
of while disputing over the forms Of
arbitration"
Exposed High Finance.
His service on the subcommittee
which investigated the fire insurance
companies in the District of Columbia
did not give Berger much oppOrtun
ity to be Of national service, excep
as it enabled him to bring out some
samples of typical capitalistic finance
by which millions of people are rob
bed of huge sums of money. But il
the course of this investigation JUS
tice Ashley M. Gould of the Distric
Supreme Court, director in one o
the companies under investigation
was called to the stand, and thi
gave Berger an opportunity to tel
this typical federal judge what tn
working class thinks Of jurists VIII
ally themselves with business. Bel
gers examination Mortified the othe
members of the committee all c
them lawyers brought beads @
Precipitation to Goulds brow, especia
ly when Berger cited the cases of Har
ford and Archibald to show what
beginning to happen to judges VIII
allow their business instincts to ru
! away with them.
Helped Settlers.
Berger also this winter was SUI
cesful in acting on the appeal of Sc
tiers adjoining forest reservation
against the great lumber companie
operating in these districts and pa.
ing homesteaders starvation price
for their timber Going directly
Chief Forester Graves, Berger su;
gested a plan whereby the govern
ment is auctioning of its excess tin
Der to the lumber companies mfgf
include in the parcels the timber {
the settlers, thus acting as sales ageI
for the homesteaders in securing be
ter prices for them. While this ma
ter is still pending the solution
regarded favorably by the Forest Sc
vice, and indicates what can be don
by a representative whose point {
view sees the interests Of the indiv
dual rather than the petty regulation
acting as protection to the plunde
ing activities of big business interest
Past Sessions.
Berger's activities for the Socia
list party began from the day b
reached Washington, April 4, 1911
From that day on his activity ha
been unceasing. He drew up resoIl
ton (which was introduced April
demanding the withdrawal of Amer
lean troops from the Mexican horde
4