biography
| name: |
Berger, Victor Louis
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| sex:
| male
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| lived:
| (1860–1929)
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| biography:
| Socialist, journalist, and US representative, born in Nieder-Rehbach, Austria. After emigrating to the USA (1878), he settled in Milwaukee, WI, where he became a public-school teacher (1882–92). From 1892 he dedicated himself to writing about and promoting socialist politics, labour unions, and numerous reform movements. A co-founder of the Social Democrat Party (1898) and executive board member of the new Socialist Party of America (1901), he spread a moderate socialist message through several newspapers which he founded. Most important was the Milwaukee Leader, which he edited from 1901 (then as the Social Democratic Herald) until his death. During 1911–13 he served in the US House of Representatives, the first Socialist to do so. Harassed for his pacifist views during World War 1, he was re-elected to the US House of Representatives (1918) but was not allowed to take his seat because he was indicted and found guilty under the Espionage Act. His conviction was reversed by the Supreme Court (1921), so he did not go to prison. Following the War he served three terms in the House of Representatives as a Socialist (1923–9), and was a highly respected advocate of progressive legislation. He died from injuries when struck by a streetcar in Milwaukee. |
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