The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-05-26
-BERLN'S PUBLIC UTILITIES
PUBLIC AND PRIVATE OWNER
SHIP COMPARED.
Dlss satisfaction with the Two Chief
Branches OF Public Service Telephone
system Especially Bad-ENtls OF Bu.
resueratie ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.

system Especially Bad-Eytls OF Bu.
resueratie ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
BERLIN. May I4.-In no country in Europe
can one examine the relative efficiency and
economy OF State managed and privately
managed public services to greater advan-
tare than in Germany. The bureaucracy
here is more numerous and it's 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 part Of the
empire, Just ia 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 ii takes about
four times as long as a similar trip in New
York does.
NJ Jul lhS Ilo III io AAhES Nv N~NhAN
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 moment he enters the station
until he is enclosed in a carriage which is
usually warm when it should be cool and
cold when il should be warm. But he has
Jisagreeable 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
m~aster-General, going into London subur-
ban Office TO buy a penny stamp. The clerk
was taking things so 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
ishing reply, Il am the Public and with it
the Dukes visiting card.
Such a 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 1t is a
good child, il it behaves itself exactly in
accordance with the numerous notices dis
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
I've more frequently used, not as now avoided
when possible. When the line was built by
Dircksen a quarter Of a century ago 1t was
regarded as a masterpiece OF technical
achievement. So, perhaps it was, but from
the beginning OF its career it was bound, as
municipal services commonly are, to de-
teriorate.
influential Incompetence was put at its
head, it was overloaded with personnel,
an army OF b~ookkeepers with stacks of
forms was brought into action, the bu-
reaucratio spirit of contempt for or indifrer-
ence to the rights Of the public began to
rervade the entire institution. n 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
The information the candidates possess in
history, Latin, literature and other academic
subjects.
Under such a system Edison himself
would have a poo chance Of employment
or promotion. The consequence has been
that after twenty-five years working in
Berlin the number of passengers. instead
Of rising yearly to correspond with the
increase in the population, has
remained stationary or decreased. The
public prefers the private company's street
cars (Strassenbahm or the carriages of the
privately owned elevated and underground
railroad C~Hochbahn), for they thus get
quick transport at a moderate fare, at the
same time avoiding oyerfilled carriages,
unexpected delays and domineering super
vision.
For the Hochbahn franchise the Siemens
4 Halske Company pays a rent of about
81 per cent. on a yearly income exceeding
5000. 900 marks Isl, 200 ,000), but a minimum
Of $4,000 annually. IL is a small but quick
and comfortable railway, taking one a dis
lance. at present, of four miles for three
cents. Since its establishment four or five
years ago not "A single accident on il Of any
gravity has been recorded.
The Berlin telephone system has never
been thoroughly efficient and to-day may be
said to be one OF the worst in the world.
An organic change in the manner OF putting
the called in connection with the caller was
recently introduced, and ever since the
DdDGlt udNt lttHicd WIN complaints, con- |
demnatory resolutions drawn up by public
bodies and literature Of the same sort.
II the change seemed likely to result in !
an improvement one might have patience.
but for several months il has been in
operation and the service instead of grow
ing better is daily growing worse. Such
an evil would have been avoided by a
private company, which would ave made
sure that it would satisfy its clients before
v~enturing to disorganize commercial and
social intercourse and unnece ssarily irritate
the community. The authorities do not
appear 10 have consulted the public in any
fashion. They simply said, let it be done. /
and it was done Now they stand CON-
mitted and the public Is helpless and in
more than one sense voiceless.
Probably waterworks ought everywhere
TO be in municipal hands. but however that
may he. the municipal water supply OF
Berlin is excellent and unquestionably well
managed, though the price, is p~fennigs
about four centsl a cubic metre, is COM
paratively high. The water Is not taken
10 the same extent as formerly from the
rivers Spree and Havel. but comes from
wells in the bed of an ancient glacier which
runs under the heart of the City and being