The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1919-03-18
v|ENNESE 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 Sales.--future
Left to the Politicians.


Wenna.-Perhaps the most striking
characteristic of Vienna just now is
it's 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
srate Of under 100000, with an enor
nous war debt, a bankrupt exchequer.
and an ever-growing army of unem-
ployed?"
IT a foreigner visited this city's
cafes and restaurants without being
told that he was in a country that
had been engaged in q disastrous war
for over four years he would think
Its citizens summed themselves in peace
full prosperity. Laughter, careless talk
about the opera, the ballet and a
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 TUNES.
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 war. They are every whit
as "chic," as gay and as up-to-date.
The Smartest Cafe.
Strange to relate, Vienna's smart
est, dearest and most sOught-after
cafe was opened during the a The
Cafe Krantz is the last word In lux
ury and nt~traetiveness. Money has
been lavished on its decorations, and
Its music is supplied by the orchestra
of the VOlks opera, conducted by the
violinist and composer, Willy
Weinberg. Here idlers sip chocolate
with water at go cents a small
eat small cakes of whitest -four
IT 70 cents each. flirt, chat and listen
% as good music as you can enjoy
anywhere in the world.
Each seat at one of the little round
abIes costs IL cents on ordinary days,
,ut on holidays, such as New Years
you cannot get inside the place
Inder 60 cents, while the best seats,
which are in the gallery upstairs,
overlooking the high hall, where the
lusic is, and the main part of the
afe. cost 81. Every seat is taken,
very occupant happy, careless and
bsorbed merely in pleasure.
The anne crowd is to be seen at
ucher's tea room, opened a year
go, with brocade hung walls and dis
rect orne Here, a cracker costs
} cents and a cupful of chocolate so
Ants, while a portion of imitation tea,
ithout sugar or milk, can be had for
} cents. The crowd here is as well
'essed, as cheerful and as indiffer-
1t to the Versailles conference as that
the Cafe Krantz.
The Atlantis, another magnificent
lfe built during the war, is on the
onnd floor of a hotel, unopened
lily because. Vienna cannot find fur
ture for It,. At least 1T was till a
uple of days ago, when the Italian
commission arrived here,
,neral Segre In command, and
ened offices on the first floor. The
alan flag hangs from the balcony,
err the. heads of the cafe habitues,
t nobody mentions it, or the war
d its disasters.
us This What We Fought For?"
Now and again some battered look
!, officer In shabby uniform can be
N scowling on the thought
IS crowd with a look that says: "Is
s what we fought for? But such
few and far between. The ma
ity of the military people take re-
It events like the civilians. A Wen
explained 1t to me:
They are 80 happy the war is
t matters not what m next:
problems of the future are left
professional politicians. The war
over, the cafes are attractive, the
is open. These are the things
ich matter. No wonder you hear
pie say "There Is no fear Of
shevism, for people are too careless
want It."
his attitude is not the boastful
of the Germans, who tell the uni
sc they are not beaten. The Aus
n knows he is beaten and says so.
so long as his pocketbook is stuffed
B paper money he keeps smiling
goes to the restaurant and cafe
kic y nIo{ao IL Lob NJ fho nroffu
and talk about the ballet. Moth
else is worth notice.