New-York tribune., 1919-01-10
Berger Predicts
Revolt as Lawyers
Prepare His Appeal
Declares the Capitalists Are
Driving Working Class to
Rebellion by Treating
Employees Like Slaves

CHICAGO, JAM 9.-Attornevs for the
five Socialists convicted in Federal
court Of conspiracy to violate the
espionage law began to-day the prepa-
ration of arguments in support Of their
motion for a new trial, which will be
heard two weeks from to-day before
Judge Lands. Should the motion for a
new trial be denied, the five men, who
! are now out under bonds of $4,000
each, will at once be sentenced. The
law provides penalties of from one to
wenty years Imprisonment, or from
$1,000 to $4,000 fine, or both.
The verdict of guilty was returned
by the ury late yesterday, after five
hours deliberation. Those convicted
were Victor L. Berger, Congressman
elect and editor of "The Milwaukee
Leader; Adolph Germer, national sec
retary of the Socialist party; William
f. kruse, national secretary of the
Young Peoples Socialist League; ].
Louis Engdahl. editor of "The Ameri-
can car sociallst:' and Irwin st. John
lucHer, Socialist propagandist.
alter the trial yesterday Berger is
sued the following statement:
"Ihe verdict of guilty against nv
! sell and my four comrades for alleged
conspiracy to interfere with the armed
forces OF the United States is ver
DICT that could not be found on the
same charge and under the circuu-
stances in any other civilized country
to-day, with the possible exception of
Japan. ava
The position OF the Socialist parties
OF all countries toward imperialistic
ana capitailstlc wars is as old as in
ternatlonal socialism itself Opposition
was hrst formulated at the Interna-
tional Congress in 1866 The Socialist
party OF the United States was COM
PEELED by the various declarations of
the 'nternational congresses Of the past
ana by Its own principles to voice its
opposltion to war. in order to be true to
ltscll. Ihe Socialist party of America
dld not even have the excuse of tho
rrench, German, Belgian and Austrian
Socialists, whose countries were ac-
tually invaded.
AS matter of fact, the trial proved
tnat the five Socialists were not put on
tyial on account Of the position of
lhe party toward this war. or on ac-
count OF any real or imaginary conspir-
acy to interfere with the armed forces
OF the United States, but because our
American piutocracy is determined to
put the Socialist party out Of business.
II such thing he possible
Our American plutocracy fears Jnc
Socialists and the Socialist party. es-
RecIally IN view Of what is happening in
Europe to-day
rs III former days. our Socialists
were branded as anarchists, in order to
make them hateful and feared by the
unthlnklng mass, so now.cvcry Social
lst Is denounced as a Bolshcvih- A
man who would take away the last dol
lar from every man who has a dollar
And the capitalist prcsa-daily. weekly
and monthly-is doing its utmost by ar
tlctes. pictures and advertisements to
increase hatred and fear of US.
1T seems to be the historic fate of
every ruling class to die it's own crave
We sec now that our capitalist class 1s
doing all it can to make a pcaccab)o
solution out Of our social and economic
questions impossible Most of the mod
crate and constructive Socialists arc
either indicted or in Jail. All of the
spokesmen of an orderly and we'll or
gani1ed mass movement are being put
"And thus our capitalists will very
soon be up against individual and di-
rect action. They will soon harvest the
seed of the dragons teeth which they
are sowing.
ut is in keeping with these short
sighted and stupid tactics that our plu-
tocracy employed all its tentacles-rne
National Security League. the Loyalty
Legion and the American Protective
Lcaguc-to keep me out Of Congress
by defeating me at the polls last No
vcmber. Our enemies did not succeed
was elected by a big plurality and
therefore, a number Of indictments
were framed to keen me out of Con
gress by another method.
Nv ell, do not believe that it is pos
sible to make the American Congress
the only Simon-purc capitalist legisat
ure to the world in the years of the
Lord 1919 and 1920. Moreover, that
would be exceedingly dangerous, be-
cause, If the voice of the enlightened
American proletariat is kept out of
Congress, its power may be expressed
with so much more force in other
places.
an cloFing, only want to remind nv
fellow citizens that the United States
is the only country in the world dav
where we shall have political trials and
political prisoners. And this condition