Road Competition in Germany.

The German railways, like those of the Homeland, are tackling the problem of road competition in energetic fashion. According to the recently published fourth annual report of the German Railways, covering the year ended December 31st, 1928, the number of private motor cars, motor buses and motor wagons in use in Germany at July 1st, 1928, totalled 473,000, as against 255,000 in 1925. The most important road transport undertaking in Germany is the Government postal department, and, as a result of recent negotiations, it is proposed that the railways shall take over from the postal authorities much of the road transport work at present handled by the Post Office.

Apart from the launching of road services by the German Railways, the Berlin railway authorities have submitted their freight tariffs to complete revision, to enable them to meet the ever-growing competition of the roads.

Modern Railway Publicity.
Interior of the London Publicity Bureau of the German Railways.

A large number of rates known as “K” tariffs have been introduced. These apply to such business as paper, cereals, sugar, beer, cement, mineral waters, tanners’ products, and building materials. The rates, which are lower than the ordinary charges, are generally conditional upon the delivery of a certain tonnage annually to the railway from one particular sender.

The annual report of the German Railways makes exceptionally interesting reading. The report is prepared by Monsieur G. Leverve, the Commissioner for the German Railways to the Reparation Commission, and it is stated therein that the year 1927 was a period of exceptional economic activity, the traffic handled developing in a most favourable manner. The receipts for that year totalled 5,039 million marks, being an increase of 11 per cent. as compared with 1926, and 8 per cent. as compared with 1925. In 1928, economic development was less rapid, but receipts for the German Railways, taken as a whole, showed an increase of 2.4 per cent. over the boom year, 1927. As compared with 1925, the first business year of the reorganised railways of Germany, there has been an increase in receipts in three years of 10.5 per cent. In each year of operation the nett operating surplus has amply covered reparation payments, and, in 1928, reparation payments represented 12.7 per cent. of the total receipts.