The Washington socialist. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1914-1915, 1914-10-15
WHAT ONE SOCIALIST CON
GRESHAM ACCOMPLISHED


GRESHAM ACCOMPLISHED
Victor l.. Berger was the only So
cialist congressman the United states
has had, He was elected from n Mil
waukee district IN 1910, serving two
years He was defeated by n com
bination of all other parties against
him, though polling a larger vote when
defeated Than when elected.
During his term of office he intro
duced "a measures reflecting the wish
es of the working class; addressed
congress and congressional commit
tees is times: forced corrupt fed
eral Judge to resign from office: Sc
cured the admission of four Russian
political refugees who had been de-
tanned by immigration authorities; and
forced settlement of the Lawrence
mill strike with victory for the workers.
Following are some of the meas
ures he introduced into the house:
Bin providing for old age pensions;
bill to revise the interstate extradi-
ton law. bill TO prohibit employment
of children by the federal government;
bill to create a public store in Wash
ngton for civil service employees; bill
for government ownership and opera
ton of railroads, telegraphs. tele-
phones and express service; bill for
government ownership of wireless;
bill to provide employment for all
willing workers.
Joint resolutions were introduced by
Berger as follows: Demanding with
drawal of federal troops from Mexican
border; for a constitutional amend
ment giving congress power to call
a constitutional convention; for a con-
stitutional amendment abolishing the
senate, the veto power of the presi-
dent, and the invalidating powers of
the courts: for constitutional amend
ment extending right of suffrage to
women.
House resolutions We're introduced
by Berger to investigate the strike on
the Hartman lines; to investigate the
Lawrence strike; and impeaching
Judge Cornelius II. Hanford.
AS the only Socialist member of con-
gress Berger was not able to force
his bills through. He did. however.
secure the investigation and settle
ment Of the Lawrence strike. He so
frightened Judge Hanford that the
latter resigned to avoid investigation.
He did secure the release of political
refugees about to be returned to Rus
STA for execution. He did visit the
president and various departments, to
make representation about many in
justices on refugees and workers, and
In many cases secured the needed re-
lief He addressed several house COM
mittees, and appeared before the post
office and naval departments with
pleas for the toilers.
AS the only working class repre-
sentative in Washington. Berger was
in receipt of a tremendous mail, not
only from Socialists, but also from I'M
ions and workers in general His
tariff speech, in which he ridiculed
both the republican and democratic
positions, was given wide publicity
by the capitalist press In spite of
standing alone in his politics, he COM
manded the respect of all his fellow
congressman and influenced some to
vote for measures which he conceived
to be of interest to the workers.
It is doubtful if there ever was
congressman who did as much as
Berger did for the workers, or who
provoked as much agitation by his
measures as did he. And this was
not so much because it was Berger
as because he was a Socialist. Twenty
like him would have made more than
twenty times as much agitation and
been able to do more than twenty
times as much service for the working
class.