The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1913-08-12
FINDS GERMAN
RAILWAYS BEST
IN The WORLD
Government Ownership Great
Success There, Says Ewald
Scheiwe
MOST TRACTION LINES,
TOO, ARE UNDER NJ. o.
Fares Are Much Lower and In
terurbans Better Equipped
Than Here

That government ownership and
operation of railways in Germany is
an unqualified success. both from the
point OF view of the welfare of the
people and as a profitable investment
for the government, Is the opinion ex-
pressed to The Times by Ewald
Scheiwe, head of the Scheiwe Stor-
age Co., who has just returned from
visit OF Ave weeks with his parents
In the province of Westphalia.
THE service OF the German rail
roads is perfect said Mr.. Scheiwe.
The fares are lower than here, but
at the same time they spend a great
deal more for safety appliances and
equipment The sums they put into
stations. for instance. are almost un-
balievable Take the city OF Hagen,
with population OF $4,000. 1t has
a station which cost the equivalent
OF $l0,500,000, and remember. too,
that amount will go several times
ldTtutT lNtTt OH account VI lHc
cheaper labor.
"The mechanical arrangements OF
the stations like this. and their whole
system In fact, are without flaw in
the way that traffic Is handled.
But In spite OF all the money spent
upon the roads. they bring in mil
lions for the government
What aoout the street railwaysT
Mr.. Scheiwe was asked.
We'll. some OF them are better
than we have here, and some are not,
but the fare on all is cheaper and
practically all are municipality
owned" he replied. The usual fare
Is about two and a half cents. The
people over there, too. are away
ahead OF us on interurban lines.
rode out from Cologne about as far
as from Detroit TO Mt. Clemens on
one that had excellent acconmoda-
tions. and It cost me just seven cents
Mr.. Scheiwe has kept cup his inter
est In German affairs ever since he
came 10 this country as young man
81 years ago. He talks Of them as
one who has the home point OF view
anu llDl IntItlN as dl Oulbluti.
Germany" he declared, has a
wonderfully sound commercial sys-
tenn. Business men there are more
conservative than those OF America.
and do not show such dazzling ex-
amples OF individual success, but the
total result is one OF Incompatible
stability.
II was much interested too while
there In the army, because of Its con-
nection with the commercial inter
ests. People talk about the war
lord and the milltarism OF Germany
as II there were a menace in them
for other nations. but 1t Is not true.
Their purpose Is purely peaceful,
aimed TO give confidence TO the bust.
ness men OF the country and 10 pro-
tect German industries.
'As an organization the army de-
serves all the praise given It. They
have IT At a point now where they
could put an army OF 100000 men
In the field in eight days. II is being
improved all the time. From now on
every able-bodied man will have to
serve two years. Heretofore only
about 60 per cent OF the best have
been taken"
Still another point on which Amer
lean cities might take lessons from
those of Germany, Mr.. Scheiwe says,
is I'm public expenditure for cleanll.
ness and beauty.
"Of course" he remarked, Detroit
is In class by herself in that respect
In America. but she Is not even
close competitor of German cities
with their parks, flower gardens, pub
lie buildings and scrupulously clean
streets"