The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1934-04-13
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National Topics Interpreted KB TNYTTYSA
by William Bruckart Skn<n1nN

But the administration cannot turn
against the militant and fighting young
Democrats who have fallen into line
solidly behind Roosevelt and the New
Deal. If it snubs them, sit scOrns
the steps by which 1t did ascend and
that is never good politics. The
younger group OF Democrats take
credit for the smashing victory OF
1882 and Mr.. Roosevelt cannot ignore
their clamOring for recognition.
Like a ghostly shadow across the
path. however, floats the forms and
faces of numerous powerful men who
broke away from Hoover and sup
ported the Roosevelt candidacy. The
Roosevelt blessing already has been
bestowed upon Senator Hiram John
son, Californian, who was elected as
Republican but who supported Mr..
Roosevelt's candidacy. Senator John
son is up for election this year. On
the other hand, there is young Bob
La Toilette, of Wisconsin. Surely, he
was a liberal all the way. He sup
ported Mr.. Roosevelt as against Mr..
Hoover. But Young Bob has had no
such blessing from the administration.
Indeed, big Jim" Farley has strongly
intimated that he wants to see Wis
cOnsin elect Charles Broughten, reg
ular Democrat. And so it goes.
When President Roosevelt an
nounced settlement of the labor con-
trOversy between the
Wolndn Not automobile industry
Real Neutral and the American
Federation Of Labor,
and proposed creation of a board to
adjudicate the questions, every one
here thought naturally enough that he
would select a representative Of the
industry and one Of labor, with the
ural conclusion was that the third
member Of the board would have no
ties with either capital or labor There
was much surprise, therefore, when
he named Dr.. Leo Wolman, of Column
bia university, New York, as the neu-
trail member. From what can gather
around Washington, the appointment
Of Doctor Wolman was a bit disap-
pointing to those who wanted a real
neutral to sit as a member Of the
board. Frankly, the President did not
meet legitimate expectations in the
Wolman appointment, except, of
course, among those who sympathized
wholly with labor's contention In the
controversy.
Doctor Wolman's knowledge of la
Dor questions cannot be denied. He
has demonstrated his ability and his
capacity to understand the problems.
The objection that hear, however
does not run to that phase of his
ability. Doctor Wolman has been as
ISOLATED directly or indirectly with
William Green, president of the Amer
lean Federation of Labor, for many
years. However he may desire to be
impartial, however basically honest he
is. the thought in many places In
Washington is that Doctor Wolman
cannot be neutral as that word is &C
copied by the general public. He is
human and he has sentiment. Those
two factors make it appear to many
observers that the settlement of the
automobile-labor controversy amounts
to nothing more than a postponement.
1t will flare up again, but probably
will not take place until after the mid
die of June when the President will
not have law in effect that will per-
NIT him to license the industry.
The fervor and passion of World
war days was recalled In an unusual
manner the other day through the pas
sage by congress of what otherwise
would have been described as a bill
to pay minor claim against the gov
eminent. There are hundreds of those
claim bills put through in every ses-
sion, but few Of them mean anything
except that some claimant receives
that which is due. In this instance,
however, the bill provided funds for
payment of a claim by the estate of
the late Victor Berger, and that name
recalled conditions of Is or 16 years
ago.
Mr.. Berger, 1t will be recalled, was
elected to the house of representatives
from Wisconsin. But the house, which
Is judge Of its own membership, would
not admit Mr.. Berger He had CAM
paigned as a Socialist; he had made
speeches attacking the Wilson admin
istration and congress for going to
war, and, generally, had demonstrated
his pacifism. The house rejected Mr..
Berger's election certificate. Shortly
thereafter, he was indicted under some
of the wartime laws on account of his
anti-war speeches. He was tried and
convicted and Judge Kenesaw Noun
tain Lands, now commissioner of or
ganized baseball and who once fined
the Standard Oil company $29,000000,
sentenced Mr.. Berger to 20 years in
Leavenworth prison.
With this sentence hanging over him,
and with the house refusing to seat
him, Mr.. Berger ran for congress again
and was elected by an even larger ma
jority than before. Again, he was
stopped at the threshold OF the house.
He had appealed his conviction in the
meantime and the Supreme Court of
the United States eventually consid-
cred his plea and granted him his
freedom. The house then relented and
he served in congress. But he was
never paid for the time the house kept
him on the sidelines. Mr.. Berger was
killed in an automobile accident few