The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1919-11-15
vIENNESE MERRY
DESPITE DEFEAT
They Know They Were Beaten,
Admit 1t, and Let 1t
Go at That.
SMART CAFES ARE CROWDED
People Are Well Dressed, Cheerful,
and Pay Enormous Prices for
Chocolate and cakes-FutuPe
Left 20 the Politicians.

Vienna.-Perhaps the most striking
characteristic Of Vienna just now ia
Its citizens indifference. To enter the
crowded, smart, beautifully decorated
cafes and watch the lively, laughing
public there Is to ask: "Do these
people realize that they have lost the
war and an empire. and are reduced
to being citizens Of a poverty-stricken
state Of under 100000, with an enor-
NOUS war debt, a bankrupt exchequer,
and an ever-growing army Of unem-
ployedr'
IL foreigner visited this city's
cafes and restaurants without being
told that he was In q country that
had been engaged in q disastrous war
for over four years he would think
It's citizens summed themselves in peace
ful prosperity. Laughter, careless talk
about the opera, the ballet and
prominent actress private life greet
you from all sides. Not a word about
war or politics.
Officers in bright colored uniforms
with much gold lace and with rows Of
decorations glittering on their tunics,
are as lively as the civilians, while
the well-gowned women In costly,
fashionable furs and jewelry, leave
nothing to those who enjoyed life here
before the warJW They are every whit
as "chic," as gay and as up-to-date.
- - The Smartee4 Cafe. ~
Strange to relate, Vienna's smart
est, dearest and most sought-after
cafe was opened during the war. The
Cafe Krantz Is the last word In lux
ury and attractiveness. Money has
been Iavished on its decorations. and
its music is supplied by the orchestra
Of the Volks opera. conducted by the
popular violinist and composer. Willy
Kleinberg. Here idlers sip chocolate
made with water at go cents a small
cup, eat small cakes OF whitest -four
ct 10 cents each, flirt, chat and listen
to as good music as you can enjoy
anywhere in the world. See"
Each seat at one Of the little round
tables costs II cents on ordinary days,
but On holidays, such as New Years
eve, you cannot get inside the place
under 90 cents, while the best seats.
which ARE I'm the gallery upstairs,
overlooking the high hall, where the
music tS, and the main part OF tho
cafe fc0et on. y Every seat is taken,
every occupant happy. careless and
absorbed merely In pleasure.
- The same crowd "a 70 Be -seen %
pueheK's @tea ROOM opened o gear
go, with brocade hung walls and diS.
erect corners. Here. q cracker costs
90 cents and o. cupful ofpchocolate DO
eents. whilSa portien OF imitation tGa.
without sugar or milk, can DO had Tor
10 cents. The crowd here An as well
dressed, as cheerful and az indifHer-
ent to the Versailles conference as that
In the Cafe Krantz. #rA
The Atlantis, another magnificent
cafe built during the war. 10 On the
ground door Of q hotel. unopened
only because Vienna cannot And fur
nituPe for IL. At least it was hn a
couple OF days ago. when the italian
military commission arrived here,
General Segre In command, and
opened Offices on the first floor. The
Italian Gag hangs from the balcony.
ever the heads Of the cafe habitues,
but nobody mentions Il, or the war
and it's disasters.
"is This What We Fought For2"
Now and again some battered look
ing officer In shabby uniform can be
seen seowling on the thought
less crowd with look that says: els
this what we fought forr' But such
are few and far between. The ma
jority Of the military people take re-
cent events like the civilians. A Wen
nese explained II to me:
'They are 50 happy the war La
over"
II matters not what comes nexti
the problems Of the future are left
20 professional politicians. The war
40 over. the cafes are attractive, the
opera ls open. These are the things
which matter. No wonder you hear
people say: There is no fear %
bolshevism, for people are too careless
% want e."
This attitude % not the boastful
enc Of the Germans, who tell the uni.
verse they are not beaten. The Aus
TRAN knows he 10 beaten and says 50.
But 30 long az his pocketbook Ia stuffed
with paper money he keeps smiling
and goes TO the restaurant and cafe
Of his choice to look at the pretty
women and talk about the ballet. Moth
Ing else is worth notice.
n