The sun., 1919-01-01
BERGER, ON STAND,
DEFENDS LOYALTY
Socialist COngressman-e elect
Denies He Worked Against
L. s. Interests.>
OPPOSED THE RADICALS
Told His Editors to Print
"Berlin Lies First and
Then Allied Lies"
OPPOSED THE RADICALS

Then Allied Lies"
CHICAGO, Dec. 31.--victor l.. Berger
conCressman-e elect from Milwaukee,. took
the witness stand in his own defence at
the opening Of to-day's session Of the
trial of himself and four other Socialist
leaders on charges OF conspiracy to vio-
late the anti-sedition law.
Berger told the story Of Socialism in
America and OF his own anti-war activi-
ties as a leader OF the party. He spoke
with a strong German accent. which was
explained by his opening testimony 10
the effect that he was born in Austria
and was 60 years Of age yhen ne came
with his parents to the United States.
lie settled at Bridgeport. Conn. and
followed various occupations. including
that of n metal polisher. He went to
Milwaukee forty years ago, and for nine
years was public school teacher.
Later he became a writer for Vorpoerts,
a German language Socialist paper. He
said his conversion to Socialism took
place in 1881. He traced the develop
1850 TO 1897.
Organized Parties.
In the latter year. he said. he and
others organized the present Socialist
party. In 1910 the Socialists carried
Milwaukee and Berger was elected to
Congress. being thus the first Socialist
TO attain this success. The witness said
he was received cordially in Washington
by both Democratic and Republican
leaders. While a Congressman he filed
Impeachment proceedings against Fed
eral Judge Hanford, who later resigned.
This statement was was brought out by
question from Judge Lands. who re-
quested that 'if you have done anything
about any crooked Judge let us hear
about it."
The Milwaukee Leader OF which he is
publisher. the witness said, was founded
IN 1911. Great difficulty was experienced
In financing the publication, he said, and
most % the securities are owned by
workingmen. For the benefit of the
Jury he sketched the International so
cialist movement. and insisted that on
several occasions threat of the socialists
IN call a general strike had averted war.
He related the unsuccessful efforts OF In
ternational socialists to avert the war
Just closed. He said he was not pro-
German.
NO socialist could be pro-German OF
pro-Kaiser." said the witness.
says He Printed News.
Bergers opinion of the war news Of
lsl4-15. he said. was expressed in his
instructions TO his sub-editors. who were
told to lead with the Berlin lies ane
follow with the French and English
lies" His orders. however. were Il
print all the war news all the time. YseT
ger considered himself a conservativ,
socialist. and said he worked to have n,
movement develop along peaceful. ra
tional, legal lines. Socialism. he said II
the same the world over, the onry ruc
tional differences being as TO methods o
procedure.
II have never" he said. been one o
those radicals who believed that tn
world could he turned upside down over
night / believe in evolution. rathe
than revolution. 1t may be slower. blu
the results are more permanent. Huma!
society is an organism which must b
gradually altered as II grows"
Discussing the Socialistic war pro
Gramme adopted at St. Louis In 1917, Il
which the party expressed opposition t
the entrance Of the United States int
tina war Berger said he did not approx
the language of the document
lneTe WeT6 JIIcG VI opiilioIt q
the meeting. ne said. the conservative
which he shared tho radical and tn
ultra radical Berger said he did not ad
dress tho convention. At this meetin
John Spargo accused the party of pro
Germanism and resigned from the ex
ecutive committee. Spargo was an Eng
lehman. who came to this country u
1901, but did not become a citizen un
I'll three years ago.
pY0hihifi0n
Platform Was essentially as stronl
against war as the Socialist platform
Sections of tho Prohibition platform
we're read In court. Witness said h
mad observed that tho fewer Socialist
there were in q community the NOR
radical they were.
Milwaukee Conservative.
In Milwaukee. he said. with 5000
Socialists. there was much more con
seryatiy. view because there was op
portunity for frequent open meeting
and discussions. Berger said he did no
approve the Young Peoples socan'
League and that there we're but thre
branches of II In Wisconsin. He sal
he never knew OF any code letters o
Of an underground route 10 Mexico 10
sacters. He said the council OF de
Tense Of Milwaukee was organized b
Socialists and became model through
out the country. OF Professor Cal
HaessiG, who Is serving a 12-yea
prison term because he refused to do
4 soldiers uniform. Berger said:
HE is a noble fellow. but too zeal
Gus ! tried TO persuade him to com
pr with the law but did not succeed.
Tie Milwaukee Leader was exclude
rom the mails in 1917 and Berger tol
Of Efforts to have the ban raised
he ha1 q
himself as patriotic. He told the jur
- had purchased some of every issu
n liberty bonds and had been mem
Ne' e the Red Cross for many years.
',;ed why he had contributed 81
70 ID" l. w. w. defense fund In 1917
"'.-- said It was because he kneN
tlsy had no money and he though