Arizona republican., 1918-12-19
CASE AGAINST
 BERGER RESTED
 BY GOVERNMENT

CHICAGO, Dec. 18.-The government closed its case today in the trial of Congressman- elect syictor l.. Berger of Milwaukee, and four other socialist leaders, charged with conspiracy to violate the espionage law. After Judge Landis overruled a motion to take the case from the jury and discharge the defendants, the socialists began their case by calling Adolph Germer, general secretary of the national socialist party, one of the defendants, as the first witness.
 Counsel for the defense asked to have certain government testimony bearing on the question of conspiracy excluded from the record. Judge Lan- dis reserved his decision.
 Germer did not get much further than giving his early personal history before court adjourned.
 He said he was born in east Prus sia, Germany, 36 years ago, and was brought to this country by his paress in December, 1888. His father was q coal miner and the family settled in Braceville, Illinois. Germer attended the public and parochial schools and then went to work in the coal mines.
 In 1912 he was a delegate to the World Conference of Miners held at Amsterdam. Germer said he became a socialist in 1900 by joining the so- cialist democratic party, which later l became the national socialist party. He said he'first met Berger in 1904. He was elected general secretary of the national socialist party in 1916. He described the details of the party S organizations at length and told of John Spargo's resigning from the ex- | ecutive committee, after the St. Louis convention, in May, 1917, when the party adopted the proclamation and war program which caused factional strife in the organization.
 Recall Witness Schiller ! In closing it's case, the government recalled Arnold Schiller, soldier, formerly clerk in the office of the na- | tional socialist party offices in Chica- | go. He gave testimony in regard to John R. Bleischmidt a brother in law | of William F. Kruse, 0 defe 4dant, who | had charge of the making out of con- scientious objectors affidavits at so- cialist headquarters in Chicago. The | evidence showed that Bleischmidt reg ! istered for the draft at his home in | Jersey City, but disappeared when ] called for military duty and was | classed as a deserter from the army
 Paul W. Rothinburg, an employe of the Illinois state food department, and | Max BurlOw, a printer, told of alleged | anti-war sentiments expressed by | Adolph Germer at 8 meeting held in Chicago August 10, 1917, which af- terward resulted in Germer's arrest.
 W. C. Hanley, formerly chief of in- | vestigation for the American Protec- tive league in Chicago, told of con- versaticn he had with Germer wher he was brought to the federal building after his alleged anti-War speech or the night of August 10, 1917.
 T asked him." said Han1ey, If Inc intended to continue to make sucl speeches. He said he expected to con- tinue 10 deliver speeches on the sub | ject. He said he was not the only per son who held those views about the war. He said Colonel Theodore Roose- | welt had expressed similar opinions 1T statements published in the nswpapers I denied the truth of this statement and there was considerable talk abou | it. Germer said this country wa: dragged into the war to help ou
 England
 J. T. Harris, former managing edi
 tor of the Milwaukee Leader, and a
 present with the Milwaukee Journal
 was recalled for further cross -examin
 ation by the defense. He was show
 an article published in the Milwauke
 Journal in which the Milwauke
 Leader was attacked for alleged dis
 loyalty.
 The article was read to the jury t
 show that the witness was at presen
 employed by a newspaper hostile t 1 the Milwaukee Leader, of which Vic tor Berger, a defendant, is editor.