The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-11-25

ssrprsns state Of A6sir' Exposed nv the
stsrnbers case.

toSpos Nov (, o-Public feeling In Ierlln
IL greatly aeitatsd over the extraordinary
pol. @ scandals arising OUT o' the S'ctlhets
case The rcuu,atinn Of pruasian detectives
Tor integrity has never stood very hish Ih"N
are drawn mostly from ron-cnnmlSSi"n"d
urioer~ IN the army. with deficient education,
no .orial standing and frequently the martinez
manners - the bsrrack room bully Rat Their
position In the capital has been defended
against all criticism for high state reasons
Much ~ their work is for Government, de-
partIncnts and, in view Of the strong and active
S,oialis, party in Berlin. II has been made "A
ruling principle that the police are not TO he
accused 81 wrong II IL true that four years
ago their use In politics got a rude shock IN the
Tausch case. from which II has no. yet recovered
Since then the Berlin Foreign ONCE has made
practically no use of the Criminal Investigation
Department, but intrust'd its often important
secret service work to ia own sRenta The
withdrawal NJ the police detectives from the
sphere Of politics 10 seen In the absence oi
"shadowirg" the correspondents In Berlin oi
foreign newspapers. which was the regular
custom a few years ago.
But. after all. the political employment OF
police affects only very slightly the life OF the
! people The present scandals affect the en-
tire social existence OF The capital. A ml'ioii-
aire named Stemherg was accused OF offences
against young girls for which. II convicted.
the punishment would be severe. Similar
proceedings we're taken against him In 1897.
but came TO nothing 4 policeman named
Stierstaadter was commissioned 10 watch him
after tho present accusation. He has this
week riyen evidence that his superior. the
Chief ~Connissary Of Police. repeatedly suR-
9ested to him during the preparation OF the
case that he should let himself be bribed. and
profit by the enormous wealth ~ the defendant
TO give less truthful evidence The police
man has been assailed for this statement against
his chief But 200 subaltern officers OF the
Criminal Department have held a meeting
and pledged themselves to Quit the police
service il Stierstaedter should be punished
for his conduct In the inquiry held into the
conduct Of the Chief Of Police. Baron Meer-
scheidt Won Hu"llessen. the closest and most
compromising relations between him and the
accused Sternbere have been proved. He
was on visiting terms with the latter during
the proceedings AGAINST him In 1907 He ad-
mi,,ed that Sternberg had held a mortgage OF
l5.ON marks on his villa on tho island OF Rugen.
and had advanced him various sums TO enable
him TO pay for the villa. He said he regretted
the arres, Of Sternberg In the present case.
because Of his charming wife
The result, so far, Is that Baron Won H0llessen
has been relieved Of all his Offices. The best
feature in the business is that the Government
is making a genuine inquiry into the business
! and apparently contends to make a real reform
Of the criminal police. All PARTIES are agreed
| on this. The conservative Post writes: THAT
he associated with SternberS although he knew
perfectly the ~latter's reputation that he accepted
presents from him. and sought 10 hold a pro-
tecting hand over him, is q state OF afairs
which demands the immediate and searching
interference of the Government"
The charge AGAINST Sternbere has for the
! moment disappeared. The girl Of thirteen,
Frieda Woyda. who wa. the principal witness
has now withdrawn all her charges Other
witnesses have disappeared. furnished. II IL
said. with money 20 take them 20 America.
An important factor in German police intee-
rity is the miserably inadequate scale on which
the men are paid. The highest salary paid
TO an Official IN the criminal department Il
g., mn a year, and the commissar!es begin with
n salary Of sC75 a year. The companies tina
insure stolen luggage usually pay the com
missaries premiums on the discovery Of stoler
property. II IL this habit Of looking TO indirec'
irregular payments that IL chiefly answerabl'
for the low repute into which thcy have faller
as a class.