The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1914-09-24
Pinch OF WAR IS
FELT n AUSTRIA
Commerce Is Crippled And
Problem of Unemployed Is
~SeriouS-Country, How
-. ever, Is Quiet,

Vienna, (via Paris). Sept. 21.-Com-
merce and industry are paralyzed
throughout the dual monarchy. The
stoppage of export a threatened the
ruin OF some Of h largest Industries,
notably the refining Of sugar, millions
OF pounds Of which are sent annually
to Great Britain, India and other
points. Refiners are endeavoring to
find some means OF getting their pro-
ducts to England by direct route.
In order to relieve the financial stress
the government has decided TO organ
lie a war credit bank with a capital OF
$1.200,000 besides a number of loa in
situtions, so that the various indus
trial enterprises may be carried
through the war.
Numerous suggestions for the boy
cotting Of goods coming from hostile
countries, notably England, have met
with scanty support In the most in
fluential commercial circles. The
Prague chamber Of commerce fatty
refused to enforce such a proposal, say
ing ii would be useless at. the present
moment besides being very dangerous
to Austrian commercial interests later.
Outside OF Vienna and Budapest
the whole country is lifeless. 1t Is p
parently denuded OF active men and
presents a strange and oppressive quiet.
The great factories are closed. The
~ "a lhS III EOWLS dI0 - 2
save for q few children here n there.
There are scarcely any workers in the
fields. Women ere performing the
heaviest tasks, even to loading OF
freight cars
The trains on most Of the lines are
running on restricted schedules and
there are few passengers n there are
solitary soldiers guarding the railway
stations, bridges and tunnels. Troops
are seen rarely, all having gone to the
front. Red Cross stations have been
get up at the principal depots and
stretchers are ready to receive wound
ed.
The well meant hospitality of. the
public I'm supplying travelling soldiers
with delicacies has had an unfortunate
effect on the peasant soldiers. I'm
accustomed to such fare they consum
1t greedily and become very i'll as a
consequence.
The question of caring for the un-
employed is assuming serious proper
tons, especially in Vienna n Buda-
pest. Many hundreds have been given
work constructing f~ortifications along
the Danube in the. neighborhood of
Vienna. = Hundreds more have been
sent from towns into the country to
work in the fields.
The Austrian peasants are showing
great ingenuity in exploiting the
state. They refuse to pay wages TO
workers from the city and feed them
m~iserably, for which they claim 81 q
day from the state for leach worker.
The government, however, declines to
yield to such "exorbitant demands.
In Vienna funds are being. raised
privately to feed the unemployed, but
h demands are fast becoming intol-
cradle since, besides the unemployed,
the city is crowded with Galician ref
ugees.
Apart from a certain seriousness
exhibited among thinking people, life
In Vienna pursues much the same
course as before the war. Cafes are
filled n some Of the :theaters are
open The imperial court opera and
h III theater will b. opened soon
for performances four times a week,
the actors having finally agreed to ac-
cept reduced salaries for a period Of
four months. r.
Over half the state railway employees
have been called into the army. and,
as a consequence, the railway service
has been greatly reduced. Nine hun
dred new men have been engaged, but
some time, must elapse before they Will
be competent to run the cars.
A large number Of the police also
have rejoined the army, but the city
Is perfectly orderly. So far there ave
been no demonstrations against the
citizens Of hostile countries and there
is, no longer an incentive for, guarding
h French and British embassies.
Prices are not much above normal,
although an advance which Is reported
in the Wholesale prices OF wheat, bar
ley and y must soon affect the cost
Of fiour and bread. The price Of pc
troleum is considerably higher. Many
refineries have closed and boring OPP
erations ave ceased. Exports of Ga
lician oil to Germany have increased
because American oil is ne longer ar
irving in the usual quantities.