Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-06-21
OFFICIALS
HECTOR SOCIALISTS
Overlook No Good Cause to
Proceed Against Enemies
of the FatherIand."
STANDARD OIL HARD HIT
By THE IMPERIAL COURT
Monopolistic Contract With German
Petroleum Sales Company Is
Declared Void.

declared VOID.
BERLIN, June 12.-To all German Of
ficials and other persons in high places
the socialists Of Germany are enemies
OF the fatherland'' and members Of tho
overthrow party" No good opportunity
to proceed against them is overlooked,
and this is especially the case In Prussia.
One Of the most extreme cases OF this
sort Is reported from Breslau.
The Breslau police have distinguished
themselves. even among Prussian officials.
by their extreme methods In the cam.
paign against socialists. They have
stopped funerals and removed from oas.
kets wreaths tied with red ribbons enc
tirely on account Of the color Of the rib
| bons. One young man who protested be-
cause such a wreath was taken from his
mothers coffin was arrested and fined for
| resistance to the police.
The latest case also has to do with q
| funeral. Some time ago a Breslau social
| list. dying. left testamentary instructions
fOrbidding any religious exercises at his
grave. or even the presence of a minis
| ter. The funeral was held according to
directions. the only persons present be-
ing members OF the social democratic
party. The authorities have now begun
| criminal action against those in charge
Of the funeral on the ground that the
| funeral was "a public meeting within
| the purview OF the law requiring that
the permission of the police he secured
| for the holding Of such a meeting. and
| that this permission was not obtained.
Princes Barber Honored Guest.
There was one guest at the wedding
| in May Of Prince Ernest August and
Princess Victoria Louise. daughter Of
| Emperor William, who belonged neither
| to military. high official nor court cir
| cles, and who was not even of rank
| emitting him to appear at court at all.
| This fortunate individual was Il Munich
| barber. When Prince Ernest was living
| in Munich he was shaved daily by this
young man. Just before he left Munich
| the barber lamented that he should never
| see the prince again.
| "Oh, 1t may not be so long. replied
| the prince. and a few days later the bar
| Der received invitations to the royal we'd
| ding, the wedding dinner and the gala
opera.
Railway Clerks Simply"
The woman ticket sellers at the sta
| tons of the Berlin suburban and city
railroads are becoming ''snippy IS chnip-
pisch,'' as the Germans say-and their
conduct toward patrons of the roads has
|
administration has met the situation by
| sending out a circular of admonition Not
| only are the women censured, for some
male employees are said also to nave
| sinned against courtesy. but the female
| workers are particularly singled out az
| having been especially discourteous and
pert. The circular says:
| 1T has been noticed recently with re-
| greet that the number OF complaints by
| travellers of discourteous conduct on tho
| part of ticket sellers and porters. and
| especially on the part Of the female en-
ployes. has been increasing. 1t is COM
| planned, and with reason. that employees
show themselves Indifferent TO the de-
sires of travellers who naturally wish
| quick service; that they ask impolitely
| what the travellers wish; conduct them
| selves pertly; express unjustified doubts
| as to the genuineness of signatures
commute ton tickets; throw change and
tickets at the travellers in a discourteous
manner, and eat luncheon while they are
waiting on the public If conditions 40
not improve, further corrective steps are
threatened.
Standard Oil Loses Suit
The recently announced decision of the
imperial supreme court upholdine the
German Petroleum Sales Company in its
refusal to carry out a contract made with
the German American Petroleum Com
pany, the German subsidiary Of tn
Standard Oil Company is not only a ma
terial victory for the sales company. but
also an important victory on the question
of the principle involved.
The verdict Of the higher court re.east..
the Germans from the performance of "A
contract which they found highly dlsad-
vantageous protects them from the
heavy money loss which would have
fallen upon them for years disregard
Of the contract had the decision been
against Them and cOmpels the standard
Company to contend for business in an
open market. 1t must contend, more
learned American business campaign
methods by association with the Stand
ard, and it must conduct its business IN
manner that shall not furnish more
ammunition to the supporters OF the gov
eminent oil monopoly project, which VIII
come up in the reichstag shortly Tor
consideration. The sales company mas
been Strengthening It's organization IN
the last wear and all these factors, to-
gether with the frmness OF the petroleum
market and the comparative scarcity OF
the supply, make 1t unlikely, In the
opinion OF experts: that me Sauna -.
Company will find itself in a position TO
carry on a successful campaign for the
a acquisition of the entire German Oh
business.
Regulated Selling Methods.
The contract Of which the Germans
complained was TO nave eNplTeu III i'Ii.
1t apportioned the German territory bee
tween the sales company and the Stands
ard. giving the latter about four-hfthS
of the total 1t regulated the method OF
selling by the Germans: provided that
the Standard should have the naming OF
the sales company's managers. and gave
the Standard the power TO direct cer-
tain policies cf .he sales company In
certain contingencies. The Germana
finding THAI they had made a bad bar
gain refused after trial of the new ar
rsngement 50 carry out the contract
They alleged that they entered into il
under duress at a time when they had
lost a fierce trade battle with the Ameri-
cans, and were helpless to do otherwise
than to accept the terms of surrender
offered and that the contract was
against public policy in its encourage
ment Of monopoly and hence void.
The trial court Of Hamburg, in when
the Standard brought action to compel
specific performance Of the contract.
upheld the sales company. but the
Hamburg superior court, TO which the
Standard Company appealed, reversed
the trial courts decision. although IL
hold null and void the provisions giving