El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-11-02

I oldLlOA anu A0QlQ great AAAALALAAS
I Of women and old men who looked
as though they would die Of hunger
at any moment. 1 inquired OF one Of
I these women the reason of such a
Z gathering. She told me with indigna-
/ ton that they were there to see the
cowardly traitors march by to prison
I took my place with these spectators
10 see what would happen. In few
moments the advance line of the pris-
Oners' parade made its appearance
Then the starved looking pOpu-
lace became frantic. Especially
women behaved shamefuIly. They
left their places on the sidewalk
and struck the unfOrtunates and
many of the women spat on them.
The guards made very little effort
TO put n stop to such disgruceful
behavior / saw several guards
laugh on witnessing some of the
prisoners fall on the ground IN
der the blows received from the
spectators. But before the end
Of the line was reached there was
a riot. Half n dozen Bohemian
women, resentinS the horrible
treatment melted out to their
blood brethren, attacked the Aus
trian German women, and the
sight was not pretty to look ut.
extricated myself from the thick
Of the riot and made for a place called
Hotel Franz Josef. This was a three
story building and looked like any
thing but a hotel After registering
my name. I found the local officials
of the Austro-Hungarian Red Cross
society and presented my papers, ex-
pressing my wish to serve somewhere
at Pennsylvania I frankly informed
them that, being a Spaniard, I natur-
ally harbored a sentiment to serve
the Latin subjects of the dual mon
archy. To my surprise, the officials
did not object to my expression OF
such a curious and unpopular senti-
ment. However, I realized afterwards.
several months later, the reason of
their outward liberal liberation i
found out that the Austro- Hungarian
Red Cross at Pennsylvania. Bukowina
and Galicia was not engaged in CIV
ing help. medical or otherwise, to
these nationals
Medical Supplies Lacking.
About a week later, I was request l
ed to proceed to Taxenbach, in SAILS
burg. where there was an Autro-Hun- /
garian camp. and where officers were
being treated for n score Of hitherto /
unknown and unnamed diseases. There /
were nearly 1000 Of these men in the 4
camp On arriving at the place. 1
found it in miserable shape. The
medical supplies they had there We're 4
100 beds There were only four doc
tors and six apprentices to the whole
camp. Three of the four doctors were
Of the subject nationals. while the
fourth was a Hungarian of intoler-i
able temper. and he attempted to
rule his associates as though they
were his slaves Many Of the deaths
could have been avoided il they had
medical supplies I suggested sew
eral plans whereby to secure large
quantities Of such supplies but the
authorities were agraid to interfere
with the luxuries Of the ultra rich
who were wasting material that could
have been turned to our use.
I remained at Taxenbach about one
week and then offered my resignation
from the Red Cross service If I was
not to be permitted TO serve in the
region I most desired.
After much difficulty, I succeeded
IN obtaining permission to proceed to
Vienna.
Conditions in Capital.
About two years before the war. I
had visited Vienna and spent nearly
six weeks there I had a very good
knowledge Of the gay city and for
that reason 1 was horribly impressed
with its present appearance. I found
Vienna streets dirtier than the dirti-
est narrow lanes Of Cairo. The people
who crowded the streets seemed like
q population suddenly transplanted
from some other region For, in con-
-rast with the beautiful architecture
0f the residences that line the streets,
the people looked shabby and IN
kempt. I had never before realized
what a great difference a pair of
worn out shoes makes in the appear
lnce Of a person
In all Austro-Hunsnry today
one cannot procure "A new pair Of
shoes in the open market. I was
told that new shoes could be
bought Mt n price equivalent to
20 franks $500, hut you can only
secure them iIlicitIy.
1 especially found the Jews suffer
ng the most The middle class Jews,
being mostly industrialists. the war
lad made them destitute I saw
thousands OF people go barefoot right I
n the streets Of Vienna.
talked to many Viennese OF prom
nence regarding the war and found
hem bitter against the Germans. But
most Of these bitter feelings against
he Prussians emanated from the non
iermanic or Hungarian people. Dur
ng those days Germany was adver-
Using her coming offensive in the
vest and it greatly surprised mo to
observe that not only the Austrian
ierman junker newspaper. but even
he Social-DemOcratic journals. were
'utting their trust on the favorable
esult Of that much advertised Hin
enburg offensive. It is still my be-
ief that had the offensive proved
uccessful. even the very Socialists
rould have received It with jublla-
ion.
Food Card Does Not Insure Food
But what touched me most bitterly
uring my sojourn at Vienna was the
bod card line Mostly women, these
COR folk waited patiently in front
{ food shops. not knowing whether
hey would be able to obtain food
ven when their turn came. A police
fficer whom I approached sympa-
letically told me that nearly always
he food Is gone long before these
mes end and hundreds OF waiting
eople are told that everything is
I'D. Then the riots begin. The lines =
! front Of provision shops usually q
egin to form at midnight. while the l;
ores do not open until Z o'clock In s.
lie morning. T
1 made every attempt to leave VI S
ma Immediately and proceed east c
ard. as I was especially anxious to [
ivestigate war conditions in the most I
istern section Of Hungary. However. T
ertain dignitaries to whom had s
Orne letters of Introduction appealed c
me to remain at the capital, as the Z
from sickness at that place S
as out Of proportion to other dis !
lets. And while thus assigned TO t
le municipal hospital. I witnessed t
lie horrible misery Of the people. I
Each day nearly 100 women would t
ome to the hospital and shout curses a