Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-12-20
BERGER ELECTED
AGAIN T0CONGRESS
|NF|FTH WISCONSIN
By the Associated Press,

|
| MILWAUKEE. Wis. December 90
Victor F.. Berger. socialist. today was
again representative-elect from the
\ fifth congressional district. having
i defeated Henry II. Bodenstab. fusion
candidate, by a majority of 4,S06 in
yesterdays special election.
The complete unofficial vote COM
piled today gave Berger 24367 and
Bodenstab. 1851. In the election of
1918 Berger received a plurality of
5.507 in a three-sided contest, the
republicans and democrats having
| candidates in the field. Bergers total
in that election was 1899. while the
two opposition candidates combined
polled 22.S54 votes.
Berger was denied seat in the
House of Representatives November
10 last. after an investigation by that
body into his record during the war
following his conviction and sentence
of twenty years in federal peniten-
tiary on the charge of violating the
espionage act.
During the campaign supporters of
Berger charged Bodenstab with be-
ing allied with the anti-liquor inter-
ests. and that he opposed legislation
favorable to labor while a member of
the Wisconsin legislature.
After the result of yesterdays cleo
ton was known Berger issued a state
ment. in which he said:
Il don't know whether the House
will seat me. and 1 care little. II only
the continued fight for my seat will
furnish the occasion to awaken the
common people of the United States,
especially the working class, to a
realization of the great dangers be-
fore us and the immense duties that
we must fulfill If modern civilization
is to progress or even to survive"
Bodenstab said: II am ready to con-
tinue in the fight to rid the COM
MN fyy rNf
bolshevik adherents and call upon
the good. loyal people of Milwaukee
to remain steadfast in their faith in
their country and its institutions"
Means Unrepresented District.
MILWAUKEE,, Wis, December 10
Especial. 1.-The fifth congressional
district will be without representation
in Congress until the temper of the
voters changes. This is the practical
result of the reelection of Victor l..
Berger. oustsd socialist congressman,
by nearly 5000 majority over Henry
II. Bodenstab, the fusion candidate.
This conclusion Is, of course, based
on the assumption that Congress will
stand pat and again exclude Berger
from his seat.
Gov. Philips states that he will not
call another special election, which
means that the vacancy will continue
until the regular campaign. in 1920.
This decision will be something of
a disappointment to socialist leaders
who had planned to utilize disturbed
conditions for a continuous campaign.
Resentment of the German element
because of American participation in
the war, enactment of national pro-
hibition and the failure of 10000
voters to go to the polls is credited
with the result. The first factor was
discounted in advance by Bodenstab
managers, who believed they could
overcome it. The 1000 brewery work
ers. with thousands Of others in
affiliated industries and in lines de-
pendent on the brewing business, was
the insoluble problem. The Supreme
Court decision on war prohibition ac-
centuated the issue all over the dis
trict. There was a shifting of votes
to the socialist side. Berger's ma
jority over Bodenstab Is virtually the
same as the combined anti-socialist
majority over Berger in the regular
election.