Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-02-26
T'iim@l y Views
PRIVILEGES OF FIRST AMENDMENT
By VICTOR L. BERGER

U. s. Representative From Wisconsin.
Victor L. Berger was born at Nieder Rehbach,
Austria-H Hungary, in 1860. He came to the United
States with his family in 1873. Fer several years
he was connected with various socialistic news
papers and soon became an active organizer Of So
cialism. He was a delegate Of the Peoples Party
convention at st. Louis in 1896, and tried to or
gsnize the Debs sentiment at that convention. He
became a member of the Sixty-second congress
from Wisconsin (first socialist ever elected to
congress-. Berger was again elected to congress
In 1915, but was excluded during the war. In 1919
he was again reelected but was refused admission.
he was once more elected by a great majority and
finally seated as a member of the congress in
1923. Berger has been elected to the Sixty-ninth
congress in 1925. He is national chairman Of the
socialist party.
Putting teeth into the eighteenth amendment has
become a favorite phrase with the Anti-Saloon League
and its servants in public office ever since the amend
ments has been adopted. The volstead act was passed
with that object in view. It has never been suggested,
however, by any group Of "reformers," and least Of all
by the Anti-Saloon League, that teeth ought to be put
into the first amendment to the constitution.
also regard the first amendment as most essential
to the preservation Of fundamental rights of Ameri-
cans. It is one Of the provisions which extend the
freedom of the citizen. Moreover, I believe that the
first amendment can be enforced without trouble if a
20" - passed, because IL Is 70 practice liberty, while
the eighteenth amendment cannot be enforced. as ex-
perience has shown.
The first amendment, declared in force December
Is, 1871, reads:
Congress shall make no law respecting an estab-
lishment Of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise
thereof; or ~sbridging the freedom Of speech or Of the
press; or the right Of the people peaceably to assemble
and to petition the government for a redress of griev-
ances."
OF course ! realize that many Americans Of today
are different from those of the eighteenth and nine
teenth centuries. American business men today wor-
ship Mussolini. who has boosted that he wipes his feet
on liberty, and who just recently Wiped out the last
vestige Of democracy in Italy.
Many wealthy Americans today envy Italy, Spain
and Greece their dictators. They find fault with the
Russian Communists, not on accouont of their methods
or because a small oligarchy is ruling Russia, but be-
cause these Communist laid hands on the sacred rights
OF property. One hears every day business men de-
piore the fact that congress is in session and wishing
that congress would adjourn forever IL possible. And
such an obedient congress as we have in our eountryl
OF course We hear q great deal Of Americanism and
Americanizing. In the main this means that children
should be compelled to salute the flag. or to write es-
says about the constitution, even though the most i'm
portant parts Of that constitution are a dead letter and
are to remain "a.