Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1915-05-03
PEOPLE ARE NOT TO STARVE
Burgomaster of Vienna Details the
Situation Relative to the Exist
ing Food Conditions.
SACRIFICES MUST BE MADE

Correspondence OF the Associated Press
VENICE. April 22-There have been so
many contradictory rumors OF the state
Of tho food supply in Vienna that It is
interesting to find In the latest issue of
the Neue Wiener Journal a verbatum re-
port Of speech on this subject by the
burgomaster Of Vienna, Dr. weiskirchner
He says in part:
"Wo shall not starve, but we must so
arrange our consumption of food that we
can last out till the next harvest. can
say confidently that the municipality has
done everything that lies in its power
Anticipating the coming state of affairs
] began buying I'm supplies Of flour as
early as last August. In that month
alone i bought $4,000 worth of food
stuffs. and since then we have expended
SmO,OW more IN the same way.
u am not to blame for the fact that
certain contracts which we placed have
not been fulfilled. The blame for this
rests with certain of our neutral neigh
oors. In Rumania we placed a contract
Tor several thousand wagon loads OF
wheat, but we have not yet received a
single wagon. The Rumanians took our
money, but have so far kept the wheat
In their own territory.
Difficulty I'm Getting Supplies.
Let me give you another example of
our difficulties. 1 purchased in Rumania.
zoo carloads OF beans, but the consign-
ment could not be Immediately delivered
owing to the shortage of cars ON the rail-
roads. Now Rumania has placed an er-
port tax Of $500 In gold on each carload.
In September last 1 purchased yvbeat
In America The ship was fortunate
enough to reach Genoa without being
molested. But italy now refuses 20 Iet
the wheat pass through to us. and n
therefore had to be scld in Genoa harbor.
Even from Hungary we have not vet
received the wheat that we nprchs a.,
they should remember that we are war-
ing common war, and the time is now
come when Hungary must let US have its
surplus supplies OF food. Even during
peace time we have to depend on Hun
kary TOT wheat and corn. Is the price
We pay SO poorT Thang heaven, we were
aoie 10 eonfiscate some large stocks of
,naise al % hundredweight, and we have
Deen iiVing on II for a long time. Do YOU
NioW what Price Hungary demands for
maze howF Over 50 hundredweight.
II Is question which touches most
ueepiy the people OF Vienna. Hungary
must let US have its surplus, and at NO
ngher price than our sister state can
uecenuy demand. II II be true that Hun
sary Is going to send us IT'S surplus 7
MINK we SHAH be safe. But we must
make sacrifices ourselves by using in
ierior flour and by limiting our food 70
tne minimum ration which will see us
through TO the next harvest"
Complains of System,
AFTER complaining of the system Of
bread tickets which the government has
been compelled to adopt. the burgomaster
continued:
We're IT not that I have the people of
vienna at my back we should witness a
deoacle terrible TO imagine. I am ejvjrg
you the plain facts so that YOU can en-.
tighten others There are thousands ~
people who never read the newspaner. o.
glance at the proclamations. You must
explain to them how things stand in
order TO perevent any pnblic unrest m
tne outset You must not lose your bread
tickets for you viii not get new ones.
pray every day to God that the
system Of wheat distribution In war win
work out 80 that may obtain the 70
qusite flour. Had I not prepared csre-
fuily In advance. ana had the secret 1o,,r
reserve OF the municipality not been ais
triouted at the critical moment Vienna
would have found itself in a VERY nm
pleasant situation. Now, It standa 20
reason that cur reserves w-ul An oua
course be exhausted. but have az
quainted the prime minister with our mt
Versa opinion that he is responsible sor
seeing that we obtain fresh supplies IN
unle. l am OF the opinion that we shall
obtain them all right'