The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1912-03-01
POLICE OF BERLIN.
Each One Is a Sort Of Gar on
His Own Limited Beat.
EVERY PERSON IS WATCHED.

Where a Man Works, How He Amuses
Himself and the Way He Behaves u
: 10 the Officers Business to Know.
F.. The Civil Service System.
"When you arrive at a railway sta.
ton in Berlin" said professional man
who spent a year in Berlin. you are
not surrounded by clamoring crowd
OF cab drivers, some of whom stran-
ger would be foolish to trust. You tell
q policeman what you want whether
a cab or a porter-and he gives you a
number. When you emerge from the
station a uniformed governmental en-
ployee, either cab driver or porter.
stands at attention and salutes you in
q military manner. He has been or.
dered for you by the policeman inside.
and when he presents his number. cor
responding to the one the policeman
gave you. you can trust him to take
you or your luggage wherever It IL to
60. The government Is responsible for
the safe arrival Of yourself and your
luggage at hotel or other destination.
II the porter should run away with
your belongings the government would
reimburse you.
1.-The police system Is wonderful
The officers carry no revolvers or clubs,
only swords. Each one has only
small beat to cover-a couple of blocks
or so-that he has time to he the moni.
tor Of the moral conduct of every per-
son in his district. He knows exactly
what each person is doing. where he il
working. how he is spending his leisure
time and whether he Is behaving him
self. There Is very little crime, and
the police courts have little business.
III you commit an offense you are
not dragged OF to police station. In
stead, your name and address are TAX.
en- by the officer In the district. and the
next day letter Informs you that you
have been fined an amount In keeping
with the character Of your oftense.
You are told that you either can send
the money by messenger or appear at
the projects Office for trial at certain
time. 1t doesn't pay to give a police
man a wrong address either. because
the system Ia so'perfect that they will
ind you anyway and fine you more
1.-THE policemen are instructed to
prevent attractions Of the law. not to
wait for persons to get into trouble and
then arrest them. Each policeman has
such small district to cover that you
can find one whenever you want one.
He sees that his district is kept clean,
that each house In 1t is sanitary and
that each resident gets fair treatment
from his neighbor. Disputes are settled
with no thought of appeal before they
ever get to the police station.
'Soon after ! arrived was on my
way to the university one morning and
saw a policeman at a cab stand ex-
aminfng the hoofs and backs of the
horses. the harness and the cushions
and wheels of the cabs.
"'2%nat are you doingT I asked him
politely.
"'As a representative of my govern.
ment.' he replied. I am inspecting to
see that the passengers Of these cab
men are assured a safe journey with
them. The government is responsible.
you know. and it is my duty to see
that all dangers and possibilities of
discomfOrts are eliminated
His answer was given in a most
courteous manner.
There are no paupers in Germany.
Everybody pays as he goes. You can
see the result in the Independent man.
ner OF even the street sweeper. He
knows he shall be provided for in case
he encounters adversely.
For instance, suppose a lamplighter
or bootblack becomes i'll or suffers
an accident By the way. the boot
blacks Of Berlin do thriving business
because not man, from street sweep
er up to banker. would think of ap-
pearing on the street Of a morning
without having his shoes shined. II
such a lowly worker becomes disa bled
the government association of his dis.
trict gives him certificate to any
physician for whom he may have a
preference. 1t is good for two weeks.
and the physician is assured. through
the association. that the government
will pay him. II more than two weeks
medical attention is required the as
ISOLATION issues new certificate. The
disabled worker pays for his medicines
In the same way. The physician gives
him certificate on the druggist, and
the latter Is not allowed to charge
more than the customers station In
life justifes.
"A ride on the governmental rail.
ways assures you absolute comfort
and safety. They laugh at our spread.
ing rail- and 'washout' accidents over
here. The construction of German rail.
ways won't permit the rails to spread.
And after train passes over a certain
stretch OF track walker follows along
behind to see that all Is safe before
mother train Is allowed to use It.
There Is no political graft. The mo-
nent Il man goes to work for the gov.
'rnment be Is DISTINGUISHED. He ia
lnder civil service. and he has a life
line job II he gives good service. hut
he others do the voting.
y met an American lawyer who re.
ides there and rather marveled az bis
bllity to make a living I told him