Salt Lake Herald-Republican | 1920-02-01 | Page 33 | Middle Class Afflicted in Austrian City

MIDDLE CLASS AFFLICTED IN INS I S AUSTRIAN CITY w X 1 C Prof Profiteers Make l Life Hard Hand for Vienna Government c C Aid Aia 1 Misused l n I Tho 12 Tho authorities reO re- re Vienna Jan Tan 12 O authorized tho population to forests forests for tor- tho municipal cut and take from ests that surround Vienna as much wood as ns could be borno borne on th the back weekly old The plan was times we y- y meant meant to meet moet the pressing n need d o ot of J I persons who could not not- bu buy or obtain I f from n tho public ration enough fuel with wIth which to cook A fortnights fortnight's experiment showed s ho owed ed that with tho the complete destruction of or ono superb forest p park rk of 01 acres I anI only a n. fraction of or tho wood went as of at organized bands bandit Intended whilo f. f profiteers cut and sold J crowns crowns' worth I Tho rho Incident is typical of or p pIng profiteering profiteer ing Ine- conditions in this capital The Tho papers papers pa pa- I report tho the frustrated or successful suc suc- l pers ers dally daily smuggling out of or the country I of oC contraband articles and of ot Spanish smugglers re recently recently re- re ties A to band I caught on the southern frontier with largo quantities of ot gold silver slIver and platinum which the they were I trying to tako take out in automobiles Thelow The Tho Tholow I Ilow low exchange value of or tho Austrian crown makes smuggling a tempting game and men take tako desperate chances Tho The frontiers are aro guarded closely and I everyone searched but the left hand trade r. r Is s unchecked 1 t n Bent Beet Hotel crowded Money can still buy t n any necessity or II any luxury here hore Though the mass massof massof t of or the tho people aro are hungry and cold and Ill clad the tho splendid hotels and restaurants rants ts continuo continue so crowded that It Is Isto Impossible to bo be served unless a reservation reser reser- is made for Cor a a. In crowns tho prices are fabulous A simple meal f costa casts tho the months month's salary of or an nn of office rico t man yet ot profiteers and alien speculators specula specula- to tors 18 throng them as well as ns tho cabarets cabar- cabar l ets and night amusement places of ot all I r I 1 kinds On the ono one hand Is luxury and reckless reckless reckless reck reck- less spending and on the tho other tion Tho The swarms of at street stroet beggars Increase men women and children with their Insistent appeals The cheaper coffee corree houses are filled lIed from tram opening to closing with those drawing their 15 Iii I crowns dally daily of at work out Strikes and threatened bring enormous Increases of or pay and prostrate under It all all Is tho the middle class the professional and cIerI clerIcal clerical cler cler- ical teal ranks who have neither organization I nor resource They Thoy are aro not en entitled entitled entitled en- en titled to work out pa pay or or enabled In any way to Increase their Incomes Vienna presents curious contrasts Nearby Is a shop once famous for Its delicacies Its windows aro are dressed with tined salmon Ealmon and a a. few tew sardines both to be had only on a a. fat tat ration card some Imitation liquors and scaly looking bonbons Luxuries Staple Lacking J Not ot In the the great groat shopping streets ot of tho the thet t t. t Inner city tho the windows are arc filled tilled with magnificent furs rura works of or art tailored tall tall- f. f ored orad costumes dainty silks and other women's wear jewels and other articles art artl- cles do de But for sturdy clothing for shoes and woolens for those things that a n. populace needs In a hard wInter I clime for tor fats and flour lour and su sugar ar one ono can search Vienna Zlenna In vain aln A dla dla- I Imond mond or rare painting tapestry or sa- sa 3 ro ble coat dainty glassware or exquisite sa-I sa leather and porcelain things can be found in the or tho the Graben Graben Gra- Gra I Gra-I ben Len or tho the smart shop streets that rat ra- ra t from them but the owner of at anone anyone anyone any any- one of ot them will sell you OU moro more readily for tor bacon flour lour or sugar than for tr crowns Recently man many shops have rot ro- ro I 1 r t fused to sell except for established foreign monc moneys s 's although such a 3 procedure pro pro- pro pro-I is In direct violation of the tho law The government daB daily quotes the of- of r rate to of 01 exchange chango at which fori for- for J mone money will be cashed In Its ts own i o bureau but this means menns nothing as 18 affecting af- af private atc transactions In banks and with mone money changers Some days these will give from l 10 to 20 points ponts more or less than the official rate ac- ac cording to lo their own Judgment o of con- con There are aro dall dally raids on illicit money money changers In cafes hotel corridors c corri- corri dors clors and In the side streets of or the often netting millions of or crowns Clowns but the hc game CO continues I