The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-11-07
PARTIALLY OF
NEW CHANCELLOR
Politicians Watch Develop
ments For The Future
MANIPULATE TAXIMETERS
American Tourists Complain That They
Are Being Swindled BY Drivers in
BerIin-know How To Manip-
uate Meters.
BY STEVEN BURNETT.

Berlin, November 6.-(SpeciaD-In Ger
with great curiosity to the debut of Won
Bethmann Hollweg as Imperial Chancel-
lor at the re-assembly of the Reichstag
toward the third week of November.
He has made a mistake in giving inter
views to Vienna journalists, and refus-
ing them. as 1 happen to know he has.
to journalists, home as we'll as foreign,
in Berlin.
How he will deal with the political par
ties is a yet unknown. 1t is surmsed
that he will not try to mould them to
his will, as Prince Buelow did-and for a
time succeeded-but will accept the sup
port of any group or groups which will
help him to pass Government measures.
Above all things he will avoid what
ever might force on general election.
Bye-elections in Germany did not inva-
riably show how the political tide is
flowing, but the voting at Coburg a few
days ago, which practically ousted a Ma
tional liberal member for social DEM
ocrat, Is too obviously the result of the
recent finance reform, with Its load of
new taxes, to make the prospect of
general appeal to the empire anything
but a pleasant one.
Numerous American visitors have COM
planned to me of late that taxicab driv-
ers are swindling the public by manipu-
lating the taximeter In some way known
only to themselves. This, it is supposed,
is done by shaking or knocking on the
machine In a particular way, but it is
thought to be more likely that advan-
tage Is taken of inattention on the part
of the fare when getting into the cab.
1t Is impossible, say the experts, that the
driver can increase the speed OF the indi-
Gator owing to its leaden construction
throughout; and, moreover, in addition to
the yearly examination of all machines
at police headquarters, men are sent out
at uncertain intervals to pay surprise
visits to the cab stands to see that the
taxis are In proper running order. Ac-
cordingly, 1t is believed, that, If the fare
is cheated, 1t must be by trick OF the
driver apart from the taximeter.
OF such, there are two or three, which
1t Is we'll for the fare to bear in mind.
1t frequently happens. for example, at
big tourist hotels, such as we have in
Berlin, that the cab which deposits one
fare at the hotel is Immediately engaged
by another, and that, as the latter very
probably Is bent on a long drive the
fact that the driver has not readjusted
his taximeter escapes his notice and the
distance done by the last fare Is in fact
paid second time by the new fare The
latter should, therefore. see, before get
ting into the taxi, that the flag has been
put down before his journey begins.
trick, common among cabbies who
drive their own taxis, Is to put down
the flag In crowded streets, where they
are pretty sure of a fare, so that, when
hailed, part of the distance has already
been covered. When the indicator passes
the first stage the driver pulls up his flag
and begins all over again.
Talking of mechanical devices, a new
fy-invented machine for the automatic
registration of letters is about to be tried
here. 1t is said to have the merit of
simplicity. One of its sides faces the
post office employee. while the other looks
toward the sender of the letter. All the
latter has to do is to push the letter
through slit and turn handle. The
machine does the rest-places the letter
In position, stamps 1t, prints off a re-
ceipt and throws 1t to- the sender.
IF the machine works satisfactorily it
will be long-desired boon to German
postel officials and the public alike, for
it will relieve the congestion now so
frequent In German post offices, caused
by the fact that the same employe. under
the present system, has to deal with ev-
cry sort of postal business, including
-as foreign correspondents know to the
cost of their time and temperate des-
patch of kilograms. In nine cases out
of ten 1t is in a German post office that
the American traveller accustomed to the
fairly rapid discharge of business in his
own country's post offices, will have his
first experience of German official slow
ness and want of courtesy.
Members of the German Reichstag
have fallen upon evil days. No less than
three of them are at present entangled
with the law on various grave charges.
The other day Father Wetterle, Cath
Ollie representative for Alsace-Lorraine.
was sentenced at Strassburg to two
months Imprisonment for criminal SLAM
der of a university professor. In .connec-
ton with heated discussion over the
provinces.
Another lawmaker, Herr wilhelm
Bruhn, a pillar of the German reform
party. is undergoing preliminary exam
innation by the public prosecutor, with
view to indictment for Matchmaking.
Herr Bruhn is the owner and publisher
of the periodical ''Warheit" (Truth).
two members oil whose stan nave been
sentenced to terms of Imprisonment of
eighteen and eight months respectively
for Matchmaking. The evidence, at their
trial, implicated Herr Bruhn so circum-
stantially that the public prosecutor was
compelled to take steps against him.
Herr Bruhn is leader of the Reichstag
anti-Semite group. another of whose
members, Herr Wilhelm Setback. is about
to face trial for slandering a young
woman at Hamburg, with whom Herr
and Fran Setback II Is ALLEGED. attemnt-