The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1913-08-02
GRAFT IN GERMANY
Claim Mad, That There Is but
Little of 1t There.
City Officials Are Exemplary-Reason
for commotion Caused by the
Krupp Observation-Disclosures Of
WeII-known Journalist.

Berlin, Germany.-The wave of dis
pleasure among Germans which fol
lowed the Krupp revelations In the
reichstag was due more to the innate
adherence of corruption than to the
Importance of the revelations them
selves. Long and singing editorials
have been written pointing to the in
eliminating fact that Krupp's Berlin
agent was paid a salary of $4,000 a
year, with an expense account OF
$3.50. and 1t has been considered suf-
ficient cause for very acrid denuncia-
tions to know that some subalterns
have received Christmas presents OF
$25. To an American, these sums are
beneath notice and smack of a scan
dal beneath the county commissioners
Of some forgotten countryside.
"A German official would rather
commit murder or blow safes than to
hold out his hand In an official ca
pacity," said a well-known German
journalist-who writes "agin the gov
ernment"-in explaining what seemed
a phenomenal disturbance over a very
small matter. There may be more
behind the Krupp affair than the pub
lie knows. Personally, have little
! doubt that IL the whole truth were
known some would be implicated who
hold titles Of considerable more i'm
portance than subalterns. But that
there has been, as you call 1t, petty
graft is enough for the Germans. The
inside story of the Krupp affair will
never be known, but the general pub
lie does not even need to suspect 1t to
feel outraged"
But you have vice in Berlin. and II
is more open than in Paris, If that is
possible" was suggested to him.
You think that is prima facie evil
dence of corruption?" he asked. "Ab
/ solutely impossible! Ausgeschlossen.
In Germany 1t is an honor to be an
official. City administrators are chos
en- for their ability, and the man who
was convicted of dishonesty would
be pariah. The mayor of Berlin
believes in restricted vice. He says
the tourists want it, and so he salts
fies the want And he believes thai
1t is easier to control il 1t runs open
ly. Consequently one of the mos
immoral of European amusement pal
aces is openly conducted on a princi
pal downtown street, and advertises
pillars. But that there is money In
it for the officials! You don't under
stand us.
"Of course. now and then a mem
Der of the morals police will holC
out his hand. That is to- be expected
They have thousands Of women un
der control, and large force is need
ed to watch them. But graft as yol
understand the world" And HI
laughed uproariously. Then he wen
on to explain.
when large German city loses it!
mayor it is as though some grea
manufacturing enterprise had lost III
chief engineer There is immediat,
response. Municipal experts all owe
the nation who have had experienc,
apply for the vacancy. 1t doesn'
matter if the applicant is resident o
the city or not. He may have made
surprisingly good record as mayor o
some smaller city. or he may hav'
been assistant to the last mayor. An,
when ne is elected it is on his rec
ord and not for his party alliances
Party hasn't anything to do with il
That hits off the ideal Of ofiicialdor
in Germany.
The great crying need in German
now is self-government, and the grea
est obstacle in the way of 1t is goo
government. II it were not for tn