The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-02-21
BERGER SENTENCED
 !. ID TWENTY YEARS: WILL APPEAL CASE
COngressman-Elect and Four CO-Defendants Succeed in Making Bail of
 S25,O00
By Associated Press

Chicago, February 2O.-A maxi-
 mum sentence of 20 years in Leav-
 enworth prison was imposed by Federal Judge Landis today on COngressman-elect Victor l.. Ber-
 ger of Milwaukee, and four other
 socialist leaders, who in final pleas
 lkened themselves to history's
 greatest martyrs.
 The five men, convicted of conspiracy to obstruct the draft in violation of the espionage act succeeded in obtain- ing release on s25,000 bail from Judge Alschuler and declared they would carry their legal fight to the United States supreme court.
 Besides Berger, publisher of the Mill waukee Leader, the other convicted men are:
 Rev. Irwin St. John Tucker. lecturer and writer.
 Adolph Germer, national secretary of the socialist party.
 J. Louis Engdanl, editor of the Amer ican Socialist
 William F. Kruce head of the Young Peoples Society league.
 Judge Landis overruled motions for a new trial, for a stay of execution and for bail, but granted the filing of a petition for writ of error. Counsel ~SA eii0 SohFiStCu HIGH tncH went De- fore Judge Samuel P. Alschuler of the United States circuit court of appeals and asked for bail.
 JUDGE GRANTS BAIL
 Judge Alschuler granted them bail, increased from $10,oo0 to $25,O0O, with the understanding that they refrain from resuming their former acts and utterances during pendency of their case.
 William Bross-Lloyd appeared and offered to provide surety for the five but scheduled only a fourth of the $5OO- coo required. The men were technically placed in the custody of federal mar shal and late in the night their bonds had not been perfected.
 The new bonds had been fixed at $25.00O on each count, and each of the five was found guilty on two counts. The surety, too, was required to be dou- ble the sum fixed or $50o0oo for all.
 Berger and his four associates etc
 Berger and his four associates took full advantage of the customary in quiry of the judge whether they had anything to say before sentences were passed. The Milwaukee congressman elect finished reading his 2000-word typewriter statement with tears streaming down his face. He pro- fessed no surprise at the verdict though declaring his conviction was in violation of the constitution and as- serted he would retract nothing he had said or written.
 The war was an imperialistic and commercial one, Berger declared and lover half the white race is in chaotic state of revolution out of which must develop an orderly socialist reign with in five years.
 The so-called league of nations is simply thin screen behind which the capitalistic classes of the winning side are dividing the spoils," said Berger, who also declared that .Americanism is now synonymous with capitalism"
 Irwin St. John Tucker, in his plea, compared himself and the other defend ants to Jesus Christ before Pontius Pi1ate
 The wives of the convicted men were in court, but exhibited no visible signs of emotion when sentence was pro- nounced. The men themselves with the exception of Engdahl who appeared shocked, received the sentence stoically. Late tonight surety of $500,OO0 was given and approved by Judge, Alschuler and the five men were reieasedA