THE SKETCHER.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10536, 10 August 1912, Page 1

THE SKETCHER.

AN'-"EMPIRE OF BUREAUCRATS.

The State as Universal Employer. (London "Graphic") rhe rumour that Gvrniany is about" to make a new (third) attempt to solve her financial troubles-by creating State monopolies of petroleum, spirits and potash raises the important question of the political effect of nationalisation oi industries. Thi estimate is made that these three monopolies would transfer .»t least 60,000 persons from private to gtate employment. When Coiuit Witte in 1895' initiated his vodka monopoly, economist* deciured that lie aimed at checking revolution by turning 100,000 unruly industrial employees into obedient tchinovniKs; and now the German newspapers protest in the same spirit. They affirm that without any further nationalisation plans Germany is already, (even more than Russia, where there are important privately owned railways) the Empire oi bureaucrats. Dr Hartke estimates that an eighth. of the male Germans whom the census returns as independently earning a living' are either permanent officials or State or municipal employees'. He gives the number us 2,350,000, as against about 17,000,000 private workers. The " Vojkspartei " leader, Dr _ Friedrich Naumaun. someyears ago estimated the State and municipal officials alone at 1.200,000. But these 1,200,000 were all ' * officials " —Beamte—in the strict sense, and did net include 500,000 State railway employees who are not Beamte, but only workers, and also excluded the yast majority of MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES WHO ARE NOT ''OKFICIAJ.S."

The "official" staff of the State failways numbers about 2OO.O0O; the "official " post and telegraphs employees N 320,000; the school teachers 183.000. The Imperial posts, railways and schools pay out for salaries about £100,000,000 yearly, of which half is accounted for by the railways. Dr Naumann's now oqt-of-date estimate for all public employees' salaries* xs £150,000,000, and to-day it is probably nearer £170,000,000. " It is a blessing, not a curse," says Dr Hartke, " that ihe Beamter is ill Said and 111-treated, otherwise every erman would insist on becoming one." As a fact, officials, like have' not had their share of Germany s new wealth. In Prussia, in the twentythree years following 1886, the national income grew 67 per cent,„and industrial wages in thb len years following 1897 grew 30 per cent; bui until 1909 thousands of offioials were drawing salaries ' {minimum £4O/ fixed in 1873. For years the: brovemment, on financial firoiinds, rejected Reichstag proposals or better salaries; and not untif 1909 did it consent to partial rises which cost the State only £1 > 075,000 a year. Rural postmen, canal' watchmen arid many ''-subaltern "as well as some "middle" officials benefited; but the "'■'.*■' higher■•"■• officials' salaries remained practically unchanged. At present the . Beamte army is listed in BKVMNTT SALAB7 CLASSES. (Formerly the classes numbered 150.) The seven • lowest classes begin with •salaries of £65, which is the minimum for any German "official," but not by any means the , lowest wage paid to State employees. Further on there are "chiefs of bureaux " drawing £270, and high officials, such as " reporting councillors" in the Foreign Office who. *. for a modest £4OO or £SOO, makitremble. The highest class ol German salaries rises from £7OO t< £860.' No wonder hundreds of " sub altera " Beamte eke out their earningsby playing in orchestras, posing a.' kinematograph buffoons, and in similar unimpressive roles. And, likewise, n<* wonder that the Germaii Stage Associ ation lately memorialised the Ministry of the Interior against this " unfair competition." Rrince Buelow once explained to the •Reifehatae that'".the prestige of being an official" compensated for the general bad treatment.' In practice—since the German public is distinctly antiofficial in mood—th's prestige meanorders and titles. No official is too small for distinction. Once every year a list of decorations is published which fills several newspaper pages, and mainly deals with the bestowal of the " 'fifjth class of the-—■" on the same honest oanal watqhman and State foresters' workmen who draw £55 a year in pay. The Beamter's other consolation is his title of " Consiliarius," or "Rat.'' Every State department has its councillors, rising in rank li'onj the mere unqualified "Rat," via the "Geheimer Rat" (Privy Councillors and the " Upper Privy Councillor." to the " Actual-Privy-Upper-GoverniTient-Councillor," the highest of all; These titles usually indicate the particular department in which their possessor ■works; thus you can be an " Accoun-tancy-CouncilJor," or a " Privy-Ad-mipajty-Councillor." Altogether there are

ABOVX OKB HTODBED AND FIFTY POSSIBLE COMBINATIONS, Bomoof which, such as " OberlandpskulturgerichtsraV' approach the limit of ponderousness even, for German words. And to the wife of a " high " official on a clerk's pittanre, it is some cons'*

READING FOR EVERYBODY.

lation to be introduced to new acquaintances not as mero " Prau Schmidt," but as "Frau Upper-Country's-Oul ture-Court's-Councillor Schmidt."

That is the only consolation. The Eeamter is not free. State tutelage prescribes the societies _he may and may not join; and municipal tutelage prescribes in what centre or suburb he shall live. Naturally, he must not be a Socialist; but Bismarck pushed things pretty far in the ordinance of 1882, which proclaimed that the very oath of office obliges State officials to stand up for the policy of their superiors.