The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-05-26
rBERLN'S PUBLIC UTILITIES
PUBLIC AND PRIVATE OWNER
SHIP COMPARED.
Dissatisfaction with tie Two Chief
Branches OF Public Service Telephone
system Especially Bad-EVtls OF Bu.
reaueratIe ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.

SIblN1H EshptClhug bAu-ENbh ~ hu-
reaueratle ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.
BERLIN, May 14.-In no country in Europe
can one examine the relative efficiency ano
economy OF State managed and privately
managed public services to greater advan-
fage than in Germany. The bureaucracy
here is more numerous and its attitude
toward the general public is more auto
cratic than elsewhere among civiliz ed
people except in Russia.
IL does not follow, however, that the
average German is content with all the
forms Of State control under which he lives.
Here in Berlin. for instance. great dissatis-
faction Is felt with two chief branches Of
public service, the Metropolitan railroad, or
Stadtbahn. and the telephone system. The
two illustrate a condition OF things which
can be parolleled In Almost any pnrt OF the
empire, Just "a What is to be said OF private
enterprise is applicable in the same way.
The Metropolitan is an object OF derision
10 all travellers. not least to the traveller
from America. 1t carries one indeed,
between five stations for IS pfennigs -four
pfennigs equal one cent?, but 1t takes about
four times as long as a similar trip in New
York does.
Nc doubt the traveller is amused at seeing
his train despatched to the stentorian COM
mand "Of," by a stiff backed parsonage in
captains uniform. and there is a great deal
OF concern, not to say curiosity, displayed
about his ticket and behavior generally
from the momen he enters the station
until he is enclosed in a carriage which is
usually warm when it should be cool and
cold when it should be warm. But he has
disagreeable sensations also.
Once he enters a railroad station, one
might say any public place in Germany, he
becomes "das Publicum.' in other words,
the servant and chattel of the authorities.
There is a story, probably an old one, OF
the present Duke OF Norfolk. when Post
master-G General, going into a London subur-
ban Office to buy a penny stamp. The clerk
was taking things 80 easily that the Duke
called him to order, and when the clerk in
a very impertinent tone asked the Duke
who he was received the somewhat aston
ishinR reply, Il am the Public and with it
the Dukes visiting card.
Such q story could not have originated in
Germany. In Germany the official is every
thing and the public nothing, Nor is the
public always badly treated, indeed, il it is a
good child, il it behaves itself exactly in
dC1Ol al Will bAlo NlO Nho-
played in every public office. The authorities
in Germany often remind one of the little
girl who, when she was good, was very very
good, but when she was bad was horrid.
We're the Metropolitan in the hands OF a
private company the service would be more
rapid, the public better treated and the line
he more frequently used. not as now avoided
when possible. When the line was built by
n:-zl.z- z,,xtz. - N aan@,,r, aoe Z. x,o.
regarded as a masterpiece OF technical
achievement. So, perhaps it was, but from
the beginning Of its career it wa bound, as
municipal services commonly are, to de-
teriorate.
Influential Incompetence was put at its
head, it was overloaded with personnel,
an army OF bookkeepers with stacks Of
forms was brought into action, the bu-
reaucratic spirit Of contempt for or indiher-
enoe TO the rights of the public began to
pervade the entire institution, and inefi-
cheney began almost with the undertakings
birth. In such cases managers are chosen
for their personal relations in high. that is to
say official, quarters, rather than for their
skill and experience. while the staff is re-
cruited, not because, Of intelligence, alert
ness and technical fitness. but because Of
me inlorinatfon the oaruiuatee POSSESS IN
history. Latin literature ana otner ACADEMIC
subjects.
Under such a system Edison himself
ro,,Id hayo a moor chance ~ emn,ovmant
"ouii l".o" P ~ N
or promotion' u consequence mas ~peen
that after twenty-five years working in
Berlin the number OF passengers, instead
~ rising yearly To corresnond with he
cpormnns Increase in the popnlation has
remained stationary or decreased The
nuhIio prefers the private company's street
Lars tStrassenbahnI or the carriaGes Of the
rriyafeIv owned elevated and underoTonnd
rraiiroai fHochbahnG, for they thi,s sat
ouick transnort al a moderate fare at fbe
same time Welding oyerflled carriages
mo xnected DELAYS and domineerino amer,
,;si on ~
For the Uochhabn franchise the Siemens
4 Halske Jomnanv paws a rent N about
81. ner cent on a yearly income eycaadinS
q ooh oo marks IA 900 01o1. Int a minimmpn
~ e. ooo annnaIiv II ia a small hut nI,icL
and confortahle railway taking one q die
tance nj present nf four miIes for thraa
cents Since ito establishman fonT or I've
years 90 not n single accident On II NJ any
pray itv has been recorded ""'