The Commonwealth. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1911-1914, 1913-03-07
THE SOCIALIST CONGRESS
MAN AT WORK

MAN AT WORK
Berger's activities for the socialist
party began from the day he reached
Washington, April 4, 1911. From that
day on his activity has been unceas-
ing. He drew up a resolution (Which
was introduced April 81 demanding
the withdrawal of American troops
from the Mexican border. Immediate
" afterward he introduced joint
resolution for a constitutional amend
ment giving congress the right to
call a constitutional convention and
followed it with a resolution demand
ing an investigation of the kidnapping
of John ]. Mcnamara. On April %,
1911. he introduced his famous resolu-
ton for a constitutional amendment
abolishing the senate, the veto powers
of the president and the invalidating
powers of the courts. A number OF
other socialist measures preceded his
bill providing old age pensions, his
Joint resolution for commission to
report on old age pensions being in
troduced July 81.
The first regular session of the 62nd
congress began December 4, 1911, and
on that day Berger put in a bill re-
pealing the antitrust act and provid-
ing for the cooperative ownership and
operation of monopolized industries.
His principal measures during this
session were:
January 16, resolution for con-
stitutional amendment granting wom-
an suffrage; January 16, another old
age pension resolution, directing the
commissioner of labor to investigate
the question; January 81, a bill pro-
viding for federal ownership and oper-
alton of railroads, telegraphs, tele-
phones and express companies; Feb
ruary l, a resolution to investigate
the strike on the Hartman railroad
lines; February 5, bill giving self-gov-
ernment to the District of Columbia;
February Z, the Lawrence strike in
vestigation resolution; April "a, bill
adding wireless to his government
ownership bill of January 81; June Z,
the Hanford impeachment resolution; !;
July 10, a bill providing for the en-
ployment of all unemployed persons
who desired work. This was one OF
the most radical and far-reaching bills
ever introduced into congress.
Berger's speeches have been one OF
the most important phases of his serV'
ice. He has spoken on many subjects
on the floor of the house and has thus
given the country a well-defined idea
of the socialist attitude on most oi
the present-day problems. He first
acquainted the members of the house
, of representatives with some of the
n fundamental principles of socialism
! in his speech on the wool tariff, de
t7livered June IA, 1911, At the conclu
E sion of this speech members of the
T house fired a number of questions al
Berger, similar in all respects to the
questions encountered by the soap
UOA SOCldlloI vi clIOl Oll IilC obiCNI WI
ner. His principal speech of his serv
ice was one delivered July IS, 1912
in which Berger took up the complete
socialist position on the collective
ownership of the resources of the
earth the tools of industry and the
facilities of transportation and showed
to the capitalist parties that the
working class must have its own party
to give expression to its own class
interests. This was the only purely
socialist speech delivered by Berger
excepting one a few days later wher
he gained permission to print the so
calist platform in the congressional
4 record; his other speeches, while up
\ on socialist doctrines, being directed
to some specific matter of Legislation
= before the house.
- !. i 4 4 = i. = + i. /. + !. + = :
+ !
+ NOTICE TO STOCKHOLDERS. I
+ Notlce is hereby given to all 1
+ stockholders of the Common !
+ wealth Publishing Co. that the I
= second quarterly meeting Of 1
+ stockholders for the year 1913 1
i will be held at 1912 California !
+ street, Everett, Wash, on the !
i second Wednesday in April, at
+ 7:3O p. m, April 9. 1913.
+ (Signed) A. B. DAVEY,