THE GERMAN "RAT"

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 39, 9 November 1917, Page 6

THE GERMAN "RAT"

INSIDIOUS EFFECT OF CHEAP TITLES.' . _ , One of the secrets of German official hold upon the people is discussed by Mr. Gerard (formerly United States Minister to Berlin), in- a further article in the London "Daily Telegraph/' One of the most successful ways of disciplining (he people is by the "Eat system. "Rat" means councillor, and is a titlo of honour given to anyone who has attained a certain measure of success or standing in his chosen business or profession. For instance, a business man is made a commerce "rat," a lawyer a justice "rat," a doctor a sanitary "rat," an architect or builder a building "rat," a keeper of the archives an archive "rat," and so on. The "rats" are created in this way:— First, a man becomes a plain "rat/' then or really and truly secret court rat, to privy councillor, still later a "court ipcret rat," and later still a "wirklioher," or really and truly secret court rat, to which, may he added the title of 'excellency," and puts tho man who has attained this absolutely at the head of tin "rat" ladder. But sec the insidious working of Hie system. By German custom the vonian always carries /the husband's title. The wife of a successful builder is known as Mrs. Really Truly Secret Court Building Bat and her social pTOcedonce over the other women depends entirely upon I <!' husband's position in the rat class. Titles of nobility alone do not count vhen iney come in contact with a high Government position. • Now, if a lawyer get to be about forty years old and is not some sort of rat his wife begins to nag him, and his friends and relations look at him with suspicion. Thus the Government keeps a far tighter hold on the intellectual part of its population than if they wero threatened with torture and the stake.