The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-02-04


wight ago, is giren In the foilo,oino ar.
tcle from s'a6 correspondent Of THE
Sun in Rome. IL toas scrtttcn precious
to the disturbances, but many Of the
forecasts Of the criter already hove come
'i!e
Special Co,respoadence to TuD srx.
ROME, Jan. S.-The people in Austria
ave not been trained to suffer in si.
!""-e. Probably their sufferings have
!"rn so great and widespread that 1t
l> impossible to stife all complaints.
'irly accurate details about economic
.'.iitons in the dual monarchy have
II available since the outbreak Of the
a" News leaked out despite the
''so.y guarded Swiss frontier, and even
'he censored newspapers are valuable
"ources OF information.
Thus. as AN instance. from a Christ
'.as article In the Hungarian paper AZ
sag 1t is known that the children this
ear had no shoes to leave out In the
windows OH Christmas eve for St. Mich.
IN with presents. Even admitting that
n these hard times Of war 1t was pos
fIb!e TO give presents to children, shoes
lave become 90 valuable and rare that
iosc who can afford to provide them
or their children cannot run the rislk
oG having them stolen by leaving them
ont at night on the window ledges The
place to keep shoes Is a strong box. the
A: Ujso1 says, '-.tt..
scant Food fes>, MoliAays.
Chr.stmas must. indeed. have been sad
TT Austria and Hungary. The news-
'Ipers openly admit that Christmas and
New YeaEs Day served 70 confirm that
he people had nothing TO eat. Even
ITS for the customary cakes cannot be
hsd without a ticket. and then at pro-
bitive prices. Candles cannot be
Ought without ticket, and only one is al
WED for each family. Butter costs about
9. pound and everything Is getting 81
s"arce that cards had to be introduced
even for thread. which !s measured care
fully and 80 yards are allowed to small
antilles. while $50 yards are allowed 10
.lrge ones
We are suffering so much" says the
Arbcitcr Zcitun0, that our sufferings
during a month cannot be compensated
" any advantages HOWcNeT CJHSlueTubiS
'"rived from continuing the war" (The
Haign in ltaly.)
Conditions in Austria are growing
worse and no remedy is apparently pos
'lH owing I'd the complicated bureau.
'at!c system followed by the Govern.
meat. Abuses. favor!tism and corrup-
ION are practised on a most extensive
scale. Food control is used as a politi-
cal weapon. and only severely enforced
o. people whose loyalty to the monarchy
s doubtful. As the mobiles and the men,
hers OF the court are large landowners.
hanks to their influence, they evade
co9trol over their products and equal
">ir!bution Is practically impossible.
PrOAteers Corner FO0dstu1s.
When the Russians first invaded Gall.
tn.grated 10 Austria. where they profita-
by invested their money In the pur-
,lase Of foodstuns. which they are now
selling at prob bltive prices They en-
outraged small farmers to hide their
p.o'uce and sell 1t to them instead OF
allowing II to be requisitioned by the
Government: with the result that even
,'-day. when eggs and butter are not to
h. found. some one will get them for
You If you nay him enough.
The same conditions prevail in Hun
airy. where the magnates and the
eergy. who own all the land, do not
tolerate restrictive measures and sell
'ne!r produce 10 the highest bidder.
"hlle poor persons In agricultural dis
''icts are practically starved. Hungary.
despite the scarcity Of food in Austria,
continues to export foodstuffs to Ger
many at fancy prices and as a result the
cost Of living has risen to such an extent
nat a quart of oil In Dalmatia, which
had been noted before the war as an es-
..'n'ally oil producing district. now costs
5.
Infant mortality Is so great in some
regions that the authorities. fearing
iu'ure depopulation, have decided TO
'ansfer most OF the children to the rich
mro'inces In Bohemia and Slavonia
These unfortunate children are not ben
ented by the change, as food IL scarce
.'erywhere.
G"rmany Encourages Speculators
Germany. instead of helping Austria.
encourages speculation In food supplies
from her ally. The Cxechs and Slavs
are profitably exploiting the general dis
content and III feeling against Germany
~ surviving to convince the people that
me shortage Of food In exclusively due
10 the selnshnsss and arrogance Of the
Germans and the Magyars. who, besides,
are 70 blame for prolonging the war.
me people need no great persuasion
10 realize the truth Of the report that the
nrace negotiations with the Russian
holsheviki would have led to q general
Deace but for the opposition OF Germany
ava Hungary. which aim at conquest
ana predominance In fact all the
hauona'ties In Austria are clamoring
lor peace at any cost with the exception
-. me Hungarlans. and the resentment
"salnst them 10 assuming alarming pro-
portions.
Inc political situation in Austria 10
,nost uncertain and complications are
o'und TO follow before long. The peo-