Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1913-07-31
GRAFT IN GERMANY
Claim MaGo That There Is but
Little of It There.
City Officials Are Exempiary-Reaso
for Commotion Caused by the
krupp Observation-Disclosures of
Weil-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 salary of $4,000 a
year, with an expense account of
$3.50, and it has been considered suf-
tcient cause for very acrid denuncia-
lions to know that some subalterns
have<received Christmas presents of
S25. To an American, these sums are
beneath notice and smack of scan
dial 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 Well-known German
journalist-who writes 'agin the gov
ernment"-in explaining what seemed
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 If 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 it, petty
graft is enough for the Germans. The
1-iI do rfr, IS h. fair will
never be known, but the general pub
lie does not even need to suspect it to
feel outraged"
But you have vice in Berlin, and 1t
is more open than in Paris, il that is
possible" was suggested to him.
You think that is prima facie evil
dence of corruption?" he asked Alb
solutely impossible! Ausgeschlossen!
In Germany it 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 that
it is easier to control if it runs open
ly. Consequently one of the most
immoral of European amusement pal
aces is openly conducted on a pTinci-
pal downtown street, and advertises
in all theatrical journals and on the
pillars But that there is money in
it for the oficials! You don't under
stand US.
"Of course, now and then a mem
Der of the morals police will hold
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 you
understand the word" And he
laughed uproariously Then he went
on to explain.
when large German city loses its
mayor it is as though some great
manufacturing enterprise had lost its
chief engineer. There is immediate
response. Municipal experts all over
the nation who have had experience
apply for the vacancy. 1t doesn't
matter if the applicant is resident of
the city or not. He may have made
surprisingly good record as mayor of
some smaller city, or he may have
been assistant to the last mayor. And
when he is elected it is on his rec
ord and not for his party alliances.
Party hasn't anything to do with it.
That hits off the ideal of officialdom
in Germany.
The great crying need in Germany
now is self-government, and the great
est obstacle in the way of it is good
government. II it were not for the