e Socialist Party in favor of an amendment to the party constitution,
proposed by Delegate Hazlett, to the effect that any person opposing
political action should be expelled from the party, shows how little
difference there is between the advocates of "political action," who are
supposed to favor the use of the ballot, and the "direct actionists,"
who admit their preference for violence.

"I have heard it pleaded," said Berger, "many a time right in our own
meetings by speakers that come to our meetings, that the only salvation
for the proletariat of America is direct action, that the ballot box is
simply a humbug. Now I don't know how this question is going to be
solved. I have no doubt that in the last analysis we must shoot, and
when it comes to shooting, Wisconsin will be there. We always make
good.... In order to be able to shoot even some day we must have the
powers of political government in our hands, at least to a great extent.
I want that understood. So everybody who is talking to you about direct
action and so on, and about political action being a humbug, is your
enemy today, because he keeps you from getting the powers of political
government." ["Proceedings of the 1908 National Convention of the
Socialist Party," page 241.]

On July 31, 1909, we find Victor Berger, who posed as the special
exponent of "political action," against the "anarchistic" element in his
party, writing as follows in the "Social Democratic Herald" of
Milwaukee:

"No one will claim that I am given to the reciting of revolutionary
phrases. On the contrary I am known to be a constructive Socialist.
However, in view of the plutocratic law making of the present day,
it is easy to predict that the safety and hope of this country will
finally lie in one direction only, that of a violent and bloody
revolution. Therefore, I say, each of the 500,000 Socialist voters
and of the 2,000,000 workingmen who instinctively incline our way,
should, besides doing much reading and still more thinking, also
have a good rifle and the necessary rounds of ammunition in his
home, and be prepared to back up his ballot with his bullets if
necessary. This may look like a startling statement. Yet I can see
nothing else for the American masses today."

In the "Social Democratic Herald," August 14, 1909, Victor Berger drops
a few more words on the same subject in an article entitled: "IF THIS BE
TREAS