New-York tribune., 1920-01-11
Berger Barred
ByHouse Again
AS Aid to Foe
Lower Branch of Congress
Rejects Milwaukee Social
list by Vote of 328 to 6 for
Giving Comfort to Enemy

WASHINGTON, Jan. 10.-For tn.
second time in two months the Hous,
of Representatives to-day declined t,
permit Victor L. Berger to quality ant
take the oath of office as membe,
representing the 9Th Wisconsin Dis
trict. The vote was 1928 to 6, after {
vigorous defense of the right of th<
Wisconsin voters to choose whom the,
pleased, made by Representative Jane!
R. Mann, of Illinois, former Rcpubli
can leader Of the House and one Of its
most active members.
Mr.. Mann failed to rally behind hin
any number Of supporters, and the
House did not heed to his plea that the
voters of the Berger district should be
permitted to choose their own Repre-
sentative and the House should not
interfere with that right. Representa-
tive Frank w. Mondell, of Wyoming
who succeeded Mr. Mann as Republi.
can leader, and other members who
spoke against the seating of Berger
got all the applause and the votes.
Berger himself, although he has the
floor privilege and occupied q seat all
through the proceedings, could not
speak without unanimous consent, anC
efforts to obtain this for him failed
decisively.
After the House had debarred hin
Berger, in q statement, said he woulc
run again land be elected again" On
November 10 last the House adopted d
resolution similar to that adopted to-
day, by vote Of 81 to /, and there
is said to be no chance that it will re.
verse the position 1T has twice taken
on the case.
Debarred for Wartime Acts
Berger was not rejected by the House
to-day because he belongs to a party
Of radical ideas, leaders in both parties
asserted after the vote, but because a
committee of the House months ago
found him guilty of giving aid and
comfort to the enemies of the United
States during the war with Germany
and because the Constitution says that
acts can hold public office under this
government.
The six Representatives who voted
against the resolution barring Berger
were Mann, of Illinois; voigt
of Wisconsin, Harreld, of Oklahoma,
Republicans, and Griffin, of New York !;
Sherwood, of Ohio, and Sisson, of Mis-
sippi, Democrats. Representative Sa-
bath, Of Illinois, Democrat, voted
present.
None of the six disclosed on the floor
that he voted for Berger because he
believed in the latter's views or be-
cause Of any feeling that he wished to
condonc the offcnses of which the
House found him guilty. But fear was
expressed that action Of this character
by the House might only result in aug
mentng the Socialist vote in the coun-
try and the argument was advanced
that the Fifth Wisconsin District and
not the House was the judge of the
qualifications Of it's representative in
the House.
To this there was one answer upon
which stress was laid by every speaker
supporting the resolution, that Berger
had been found guilty of giving aid and
comfort to the enemics Of the/nation
in time Of war and that under the Con-
stitution and laws he could not be
seated In the House unless other men,
bers were to violate their own oaths Of
Office.
Through the proceedings, which
took about an hour, Berger sat alone
down near the we'll Of the House. He
was there before the body went into
session, he WAS there as the seats
Continual nm mana fOurkeem