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questions are not matters of general policy (importance). Toward the American consuls, for whom the foregoing principles are also valid, all communications are, however, to be avoided which are likely to work against German interests, immaterially whether their desire for information bears upon questions of general policy (importance) or not. In cases of doubt an answer is at first not to be given, and report to be made to me. As information which under no circumstances is to be given to American consuls, I designate, for instance, statistical data regarding violations of the Imperial food law (Nahrungsmittelgesetz) and its supplementary laws, especially regarding the manufacture of and trade in foods and edibles which are injurious to health, including toys, regarding adulteration (falsification) of and trade in such wares, and the trade with such adulterated (falsified) wares, regarding (the finding of) trichinæ and cysticerci in native meat, and regarding the status of diseases in man and animals. Whenever the questions for information touch the last-named points, there is, however, no objection (hesitation) for German officials to refer to the regular statistical reports in the "Veroeffentlichungen des Kaiserlichen Gesundheitsamtes." No further material is, however, to be furnished.

I request you to treat this matter as strictly confidential and to provide the officials under your charge with appropriate instructions, laying particular stress on the strictly confidential treatment.

A communication of this order to the mayors through simple repetition of this in copy is not to take place. You are rather to act by giving special orders. FREIHERR VON RHEINBABEN.

(Signed)

To the LAND COUNCILORS AND HEAD MAYORS.

Favors to American consuls are to be avoided, and in all cases not free from doubt report is to be made to the district president. A. G. I.

DISTRICT PRESIDENT.

werden, sofern es sich nicht um Fragen von allgemeiner Bedeutung handelt. Gegenueber den amerikanischen Konsuln, fuer welche die vorangesetzten Grundsaetze gleichfalls Geltung haben, ist indessen von allen zur Beeintraechtigung diesseitiger Interessen geeigneten Mitteilungen abzusehen, gleichgueltig ob deren auskunftbegehren Fragen von allgemeiner Bedeutung treffen oder nicht. In Zweifelfaellen ist von einer Antwort zunaechst abzusehen und er an mich zu berichten. Als Mitteilungen, die unter keinen Umstaenden den amerikanischen Konsuln zu machen sind, bezeichne ich beispielsweise statistische Angaben ueber Zuwiderhandlung gegen das Nahrungsmittelgesetz und seiner Nebengesetze, insbesondere ueber die Herstellung und den Vertrieb gesundheitsschaedlicher Nahrungs- und Genussmit. tel und Verfaelschung und den Vertrieb derartiger Waaren und den Vertrieb derartiger verfaelschter Waaren, ueber Trichinen und Finnenfunde, in einheimischem Fleisch und ueber den Stand von Menschen- und Tierkrankheiten. Es besteht jedoch kein Bedenken, wenn die Anfragen ueber die letztbezeichneten Punkte die um Auskunft ersuchten diesseitigen Behoerden auf die regelmaessigen statistischen Mitteilungen in den "Veroeffentlichungen des Kaiserlichen Gesundheitsamtes," verweisen; eine Beschaffung weiteren Materials hat indessen zu unterbleiben.

Ich ersuche diese Angelegenheit als streng vertraulich zu behandeln und die nachgeordneten Behoerden mit entsprechenden Weisungen unter ausdruecklicher Betonung der streng vertraulichen Behandlung zu versehen.

Eine Mitteilung dieser Verfuegung an den Buergermeister durch einfache Kenntnissgabe derselben in Abschrift hat zu unterbleiben; es ist vielmehr im Wege besonderer dortseitiger Verfuegung su verfahren.

(Gez.)

FRHR. V. RHEINBABEN.

AN DIE LANDRAETE UND OBERBUERGERMEISTER. Entgegenkommen gegen amerikanische Konsuln zu vermeiden und in allen nicht zweifelfreien Faellen an Regierungspraesident zu berichten. A. G. I.

REG. PRAES.

It is not the intention of the writer to discuss this order from a diplomatic standpoint, but it has been his unpleasant duty to call the attention of the Department of Agriculture to the following points in connection with it:

(1) The discussion of any hygienic problem connected with Prussia is, in view of the existence of this document, attended with serious restrictions and difficulties.

(2) Should an outbreak of trichinosis or other disease occur in Prussia and be attributed to American products, it would be impossible for American consuls to make an objective investigation of the subject.

(3) Only such sanitary information in Prussia is now accessible to us as has percolated through the Prussian officials, and we are therefore reduced to accept (or reject) whatever statements they choose to make.

(4) This document amounts to a Prussian governmental support, countenance, or protection of the manufacture of articles of food or of use which may be dangerous to health, provided those articles are intended for export to the United States.

(5) It is practically impossible, with this order in existence, to carry out the conditions imposed in connection with the importation of animals from Germany to the United States.

(6) The document in question prevents American officials, no matter how friendly their feelings toward Germany may be, from admitting that action in Prussia toward American meats is governed by a purely objective consideration of sanitary data.

(7) The reference to the "Veröffentlichung" of the Imperial health office can not be accepted as lessening the objectionable features of this order, since that publication contains statistics which are usually too brief and incomplete to supply the information we desire, and since these statistics appear from a week to several years after the cases of disease occur.

Local regulations.-No one can attack the principle that governmental authorities not only have a right but a duty to take such steps as are necessary to prevent the spread of disease. Whether any given steps taken are "necessary" or justifiable from a purely theoretical or a practical hygienic standpoint, is a question which one can always legitimately discuss, and such discussion must be based both upon general principles and upon the special conditions existing in the districts to which the regulations apply.

From a practical standpoint, we should start out with the view that any sanitary regulation which unnecessarily restricts trade is unjustifiable; not only is it calculated to work undeserved hardships to the parties concerned, but it has a decided tendency to bring public sanitary regulations into contempt; it makes enemies of the very men

whose cooperation and friendly feeling should be secured, and it has a decided tendency to force the trade out of the hands of honest merchants into the hands of men with a less regard for straightforward dealings; it furthermore sets a premium upon dishonest trade.

As a special condition which should be borne in mind in connection with the meat question in Germany, we must not lose sight of the fact that there exists in certain parts of that Empire the exceedingly dangerous custom of eating pork raw. Now, if it is impossible to change this custom, or if there is no disposition to do so, it can not be considered surprising that the authorities in the districts in question should feel themselves called upon to lessen the dangers involved by appropriate precautionary measures.

Germany's right to compel a microscopic inspection of pork to be consumed by the people of a given district in order to prevent trichinosis is, in the abstract, a matter which concerns Germany alone. When, however, the hygienic restrictions imposed appear unnecessarily severe, when they lead to continued protests from honest dealers, when they further appear to be unsupported by any practical experience, it can hardly be expected that interested parties will look upon them as resting upon purely sanitary motives.

The local regulations in Germany would fill several good-sized books. They may all be summed up by describing them as consisting of every degree between such regulations as command the respect not only of sanitarians, but also of honest dealers, and regulations which are exasperating to the dealer and incomprehensible to the sanitarian.

Since these regulations vary according to locality, and since the different localities frequently amend them, the wholesale dealer finds that not an inconsiderable portion of his time is occupied in trying to keep himself informed regarding the police requirements of various

towns.

One of the most interesting points in connection with this subject is the question of the frequent reinspections in Germany. If, for instance, a sending of meat has once been inspected in Germany, in addition to the inspection it has received in America, and if it then be shipped to another town, should it again be reinspected there? Take the following case, which came under my observation: A wholesale dealer (A) in Halle a. S. imported a sending of American pork and placed it in his warehouse; he later sold the goods to a smoker (B) in Gera-Reuss; B wished to smoke the meat and sell it to a retail dealer (C) in Dresden. Although these goods were only in storage in Halle, the police compelled their microscopie reinspection by a duly authorized inspector before A was permitted to ship them to B. The police in Gera would not recognize the Halle inspection as valid because it was not performed in a slaughterhouse, although it was demanded and recognized by the police in Halle. Gera regulations insisted that this

meat should be taken to the Gera slaughterhouse and there reinspected (at twice the fee charged for the inspection of German meats). Now, it is not unreasonable to maintain that this meat, after thus being microscopically inspected three times, should at least stand on the same footing in Gera enjoyed by German meats which had been inspected but once. Such, however, is not the case. If the dealer wished to sell these goods in Gera he would be obliged to display a sign in his store stating that he was selling imported American meats, and this in the face of a warning issued by the city council (stadtrath) against eating imported (i. e., anything but German) pork unless it was thoroughly cooked. Whether it is this official warning or the Gera inspection (at double price) which is superfluous the writer will not attempt to argue. But to follow the case: The smoker B had no intention of selling the goods in Gera, but wished to ship them to C in Dresden. The Dresden authorities, however, could not, according to their regulations, recognize either the American, the Haile, or the Gera official inspections, so C could not sell his goods unless they were inspected in Dresden for a fourth time.

Upon more than one occasion the question of these repeated reinspections has come before the courts. Two cases, passed upon by the same five judges in Berlin, have recently been brought to my attention and will interest the reader. By reading the two regulations quoted in the footnotes, it will be seen that they are not identical in wording, although both are intended as hygienic measures to cover identically the same conditions. A comparison of the portions which are here italicized is instructive, and a comparison of these two cases with the case given above (Halle; Gera; Dresden), pages 24, 25, will give the reader a fair idea of the trade restrictions which have given rise to so many complaints.

Case I.-The defendant, a merchant, had sold on November 26, 1898, in Stettin, pickled pork of American origin, which had been officially reinspected in Altona,

1 Kammergerichtsurteil vom 3. Juli 1899. Im Namen des Königs! In der Strafsache wider den Kaufmann J- — K- — zu Stettin wegen Uebertretung der Polizeiverordnung des Regierungspräsidenten zu Stettin vom 10. Februar 1894 hat auf Berufung der königlichen Staatsanwaltschaft gegen das Urteil der Strafkammer V. des königlichen Landgerichts zu Stettin vom 15. April 1899 eingelegte Revision des Strafsenat des königlichen Kammergerichts in Berlin, Lindenstr. 14 in der Sitzung vom 3. Juli 1899 an welcher Teil genommen haben:

1. Groschuff, geheimer Oberjustizrat, Senatspräsident als Vorsitzender.

2. Ziegler, geheimer Justiz- und Kammergerichtsrat.

3. von Uechtritz, Justiz und Kammergerichtsrat.

4. Thielmann, Kammergerichtsrat.

5. Dr. Kronecker, Kammergerichtsrat als beisitzende Richter. Wörmann, Staatsanwaltschaftsrat als Beamter der Staatsanwaltschaft. Kron, Referendar als Gerichtsschreiber.

Für Recht erkannt:

Auf die Revision der königlichen Staatsanwaltschaft wird das Urteil der V. Strafkammer des königlichen Landgerichts zu Stettin vom 15. April 1899 aufgehoben

but not in Stettin. Thereby he had disregarded paragraphs 3 and 4 of the police regulations, for the latter provided that he could not, as merchant, sell this meat unless provided with an attest or stamp of a meat inspector who was authorized for the place of sale ("Verkaufsort"). The place of sale in sense of paragraph 4 is that place (Stettin) where the defendant as merchant sold the meat; the regulations govern the slaughtering, offering for sale, and selling in the Stettin district. The opposite view, held by the judge of the lower court, is contrary to the clear wording and sense of the regulations, which do not provide for an inspection in Germany, as the und die Sache zur anderweiten Verhandlung und Entscheidung auch über die Kosten der Revisionsinstanz, an das Berufungsgericht zurüruckgewiesen.

VON RECHT WEGEN GRÜNDE.

Die Revision der königlichen Staatsanwaltschaft, welche Verletzung der §§ 3, 4, 14 der Polizeiverordnung des Regierungspräsidenten zu Stettin vom 10. Februar 1894 rügt, ist begrundet. Der Angeklagte, welcher Kaufmann ist, hat am 26. November 1898 gepökeltes aus Amerika stammendes Schweinefleisch in Stettin verkauft, welches zwar in Altona aber nicht in Stettin amtlich untersucht und dessen Freiheit von Trichinen und Finnen daher auch nur durch ein Attest des Altonaer, nicht durch ein solches des Stettiner Trichinenbeschauers nachgewiesen war. Damit hat er gegen die §§ 3, 4, der erwähnten Verordnung verstossen, denn der amtliche Nachweis, ohne den der Angeklagte als Kaufmann das Fleisch § 3 nicht verkaufen durfte, konnte nach § 4 nur durch ein amtliches Attest oder durch einen Stempel eines für den Verkaufsort concessionirten Trichinen beschauers geführt werden.

Verkaufsort im Sinne des § 4 ist derjenige Ort, an welchem der Angeklagte als Kaufmann das Fleisch verkauft (§ 3, Abs. 1), also Stettin, die ganze Verordnung regelt auch lediglich des Schlachten, Feilhalten und den Verkauf innerhalb des Stettiner Bezirks; die entgegengesetzte Auffassung des Vorderrichters widerspricht dem klaren Wortlaut und Sinn der Verordnung, diese beabsichtigt nicht, wie das Berufungsurteil irrtümlich annimt lediglich eine Untersuchung des Fleisches in Deutschland vorzuschreiben, sondern sie wollte anordnen, dass diese Untersuchung gerade an demjenigen Orte des Regierungsbezirks Stettin stattfinde, wo das Fleisch zum Verkauf gelangt, dass sich aus dieser Auslegung, wie das Schöffengericht unter Billigung der Strafkammer ausführt, bedenkliche Folgen ergeben, kann nicht zugestanden werden. Eine Mehrheit von Untersuchungen ist, wie die Revision zutreffend ausführt dadurch zu vermeiden, dass das Fleisch von der Einfuhrstation, ohne dort untersucht zu werden, unter amtliches Verschluss an den im Regierungsbezirk Stettin belegenen Verkaufsort gesandt wird. Die Sache war daher unter Aufhebung des angefochtenen Urteils zur anderweiten Verhandlung und Entscheidung an das Berufungsgericht zurück zuverweisen, welches auch über die Kosten der Revision instanz zu befinden haben wird.

(Gez:)

GROSCHOFF,
ZIEGLER,

VON LECHTRITZ,
THIELMANN,

Dr. KRONECKER.

An Herrn Rechtsanwalt L., zu Grabow.

Paragraph 3.

Kaufleute und Händler, sowohl in den Städten, als auf dem platten Lande, welche Schweinefleisch oder daraus bereitete Fleischwaaren feilhalten, dürfen diese Gegenstände erst dann zum Verkaufe auslegen, feilhalten oder verkaufen, wenn sie der Ortspolizeibehörde einen amtlichen Nachweis darüber geführt haben, dass die Gegen

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