Albuquerque evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1911-1914, 1912-03-02
VIENNA NO LONGER
THE GAY CITY
Cafes Are Crowded As of Yors
But People Generally Go
Home by Ten O'Clock and
Glasses No Longer Tinkle.

--.----s-
vienna. March 2.-"Gay Vienna"
of tinkllng glasses, beautiful women
and Merry widow" fame, " rapid
~ disappearing. Only here and there
~ stlll a trace Of the life that has
made the city world famous. Gay
Vienna" has become n misnomer. It's
gayety Is dead when compared to that
OF Berlin and Paris. and only the
beautiful operettes and sensuous
dreamy music OF Franz Lohar ISL
Keeping this fame alive. The streets
az night. formerly presenting a lively
animated picture OF cosmopolitan
life. are almost deserted by 10 o'clock,
IN sharp contrast with Those % Ber-
lin.
To one who has not been Ia Vienna
for some years the change Is surpris-
ing. There still are the beautiful
cafes whore people enjoy themselves
as only the Viennepe can, but there
is a lack OF the former zcst, bubbiing
viyacity, spontaneousness and enthus-
iasm. Pleasure II al a low ebb when
compared with years gone by. The
cafe freauenters and the Viennese are
still fond OF spending the evenings IN
the cafes. depart early and few OF
them keep open all night.
Possibly Il may be attributed In
part TO the fact that gnyety In Vienna
is not staged for the particular bene-
III OF the tourists. as Is he case in
some OF the other continental cities.
Although one OF the most interesting
Of European cities. II Is a little off the
beaten tourist path.
Two reasons are given By the Vi
ennese for the dying out OF Gay Vie
cuna." irst. Tie iact thai mere mas
besn no court lite 10 SPEAK al since
the death of Empress ihzaheth by
assassination IN 1897, and second. that
Vienna has not been touched by the
whirlpool of sudden wealth and pros-
perity that hit Berlin several years
ago. In a capital brilliant court life
has much TO do with prosperity and
social life and activity. Franz Joseph
Is lonely old man.
Ferdinand, heir 90 the crown. r.
not very fond OF society ana functions.
He married beneath his rank and
consequently hls wife is not regarded
as his equal They have lived quietly.
She cannot be and has not attempted
% be, the first lady OF the land.
There has been little need OF new
Gowns and Jewels for court functions.
This has had dampeaing effect
upon the various grades and degrees
OF gocial order
'rrhe Berllnese have lost their
heads az q result OF their tremendous
PROSPERITY IN the last few years" the
~ In faftn
own more quiet and more natural
way"
Budapest. the capital OF Hungary
has had remarkable growth IN the
last few years and much OF Niennas
former gayety has transformed Itself
TO Budapest Building operations IN
Vienna. heve virtually been at a stand
still for. same time and as a conae-
quence rents are tremendous and the
need Of dwellings IN this city OF two
million has becoue so urgent that
tho city authorii are taking meas
urCs TO help cree, buildings for the
poorer Glasses This, together with
the general rice ln the cost OF living
ktcniy felt in tiiis country Of low
wages. and dead court life," has
been the wet blanket that Is extin-
guleshlng tho guyoty OF Vienna. For,
after an, II takes money To pay the
fddief
Vienna Is still. and long Will re-
main, the city OF magnificent then
tors, OF wonderful acting, ana ~
sweet. dreamy musical productions. Il
"a an advance post near the Occident-
lUi-Orlentai fronticr-the capital Of
tWenty-six nationalitlos--with very
Interesting and charming cosmopoii-
tan life. IL still has les quarters
where Iife ~ hy no means duli. But
Vsonna's fame rests upon its gnyety
III the higher circles OF society and
the Viennese have the hope that
when Ferdinand mounts the throne
the merry days will return