Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-09-01

ocrat dreams Of an Industrial democracy,
and. therefore, he looks upon the bust
ness Of government from an entirely diff
ferent angle than do democrats OF Britain
or America who dream Of a political
democracy. This fundamental difference
must be kept in mind in considering the
relations between the rulers and the
ruled in Germany. In other countries
the ruling class, whether aristocratic or
plutocratic, has been forced from time to
time to grant concessions to the demands
OF the democracy for a more equitable
distribution OF political power. In Ger
many the ruling class has been forced to
meet demands from the people for a more
equitable distribution Of economic power
by making concessions to socialism. But
as a matter OF fact the German people,
although they have been to a degree
emancipated from Industrial slavery, are
politically several generations behind
their American and British cousins. This
might be very sad II 1t were not for the
fact that a great many Germans seem to
be content with their advanced industrial
condition and therefore do not care any
thing about politics.
Yet the fact remains that the German
never is for one moment left without a
reminder OF the power Of his ruler to con-
strain and restrict his freedom OF action.
1t Is possible in England or the United
States to live a long and busy life with
out ever coming into direct contact with
any OF the coercfve forces Of ruling pow
err. One pays his taxes, direct and in
direct, he is served by the post Office. and
he does his share Of talking politics, but
unless he becomes involved in a crime or
misdemeanor. either as the wrongdoer or
as the victim, he never will feel the direct
restraint of the hand OF authority. There
fore 1t happens that when a constable in
terferes with his freedom of action he Is
quick to resent authority, and is inclined
rather to complain Of the burden Of the
law, forgetting the protection 1t affords
him.
The German attitude toward the gov
eminent is entirely different. The Ger
man expects to
The German Content be ruled and
contr lie in
" DC UVvSIAou' every detail OF
his relations with the community. and he
demands that his rulers exercise similar
paternal care over all his neighbors. Ger
mans, as q matter Of course, will resent
injustice, but they will not become In
dignant merely because the authorities
compel them to give a reasonable expla-
nation OF their dCUOuS. HCi CAoi 90
long as the rulers stay within reasonable
bounds and do not make the taxes too
heavy the German will continue to serve
the state and obey his rulers without
complaint.
SUPERVISE and control every act in which
more than one person is concerned. For
instance, one cannot employ q servant
without the aid Of the police; one may
not remove his residence without consult
;p<x hA or,fh0yfff0o.
alter tickets except at the time and place
decreed by the government; one may not
take the cab he likes. but the one the
policeman tells him TO take. and SO on
The paternalistic control over such little
things Of everyday life is carried on
ward and upward, until in the larger
functions of industrial and commercial
Germany the government Is practically
in control Of every act
To illustrate what is meant by gov
eminent in Germany one may take the
ordinary domestic servant and consider
her relations with her mistress A house
wife desiring to hire a servant goes 10
the municipal registry office or employ
ment bureau. where she files q formal
applicati for q cook. In due time the
cook appears and shows her official serv-
Ice book. On the first page OF this book
is set forth I'm tabular fashion the fact
that the cooks name is Anna Schmit:
that she halls from Rhinebeck: that she
was born September ], 1887: that she Is
short; that her eyes are gray: that her
nose and mouth are regular; that her hair
is light blond. and that she entered upon
her career as a cook upon such and such
a date. as il attested by the Official stamp
and seal OF the police officer from whom
she obtained her first service book.
In this book appears, filled in the forms
provided, the name, occupation, social
rank titles. If any. and residence of each
employer for whom Anna Schmit has
worked. After the name OF each en-
ployer Is set the capacity in which Anna
served in the household, whether cook.
maid or nurse, the date Of her employ
ment, the date Of her leaving the job, and
in the next column, written by the en-
ployer, the reason why her service was
terminated in that household. In the next
column Is the official stamp. seal and
signature OF the police oficer who certi-
fed TO the correctness of that COM
mandatory or condemnatory Character.
Then follows the same thing over again
for every job the girl has had.