Other leading countries are not afflicted with this pass disease to any such extent as we are; some of them do not have the malady at all. In France and Italy I was offered passes, but the government roads of Austria, Germany, and Belgium not only did not offer passes, but refused to grant them even when considerable pressure was brought to bear.[16] The Minister of Railways in Austria informed me that he had no pass himself, but paid his fare like any ordinary traveller. No amount of personal or official pull could secure free transportation. The same thing I found was true in Germany. Only railway employees whose duty calls them over the road have passes. The Minister pays when he travels on his own account. And the Emperor also pays for his railway travel. It is the settled policy of government roads in all enlightened countries to treat all customers alike so far as possible, concessions being made, if at all, to those who cannot afford to pay or who have some claim on the ground of public policy: as in South Africa where children are carried free to school; in New Zealand, where men out of work are taken to places where they may find employment, on credit or contingent payment; and in Germany and other countries, where tickets are sold at half price for the working-people’s trains in and out of the cities morning and night. Even in England, though the roads are private like ours, the working-people have cheap trains, and public officials pay full fare. The King of England pays his fare when travelling, and if he has a special train he pays regular rates for that too. Members of Parliament also and minor public officers pay for transportation. Passes are not given for political reasons. The law against this class of discriminations is thoroughly enforced. But in this country not only members of Congress and other public officials, but some of our presidents even have subjected themselves to severe criticism by accepting free transportation in disregard of Federal law. CHAPTER III. PASSENGER REBATES AND OTHER FORMS OF DISCRIMINATION IN PASSENGER TRAFFIC.