New-York tribune., 1919-12-12
Chancellor of Republic,
Called to Paris to Explain
Needs, Says Nation Faces
Famine and Bankruptcy
Children Dying of Hunger
Supplies Necessary at Once,
He Says, as Negotiations
for Credits Are Begun

PARIS, Dec. II (By The Associated d
Press) Austria must have help from
the Allies in order to save her from
famine and bankruptcy, Chancellor
Karl Renner of the Austrian Republic
told The Associated Press to-day in ex-
planning his presence in Paris, where
be came to present to the Supreme
Council the situation which he declared
kAces his country.
when left Vienna we had only
5000 tons of -four for six and three
quarter millions of people, supply for
ak days only said DR.. Renner "Chil-
dren are dying of hunger and cold in
Vienna and SO per cent of those be-
tween nine months and three years of
Age are suffering with ricketts,. The
loss of weight on the part of nursing
mothers is serious, resulting in dimuni-
hon Of the nursing capacity.
For these reasons it is of utmost
Importance that supplies go forward
ct once. even while we are in Paris
Awaiting the result Of the negotiations
Tor credits, because weeks must pass
before supplies ordered even now can
reach Austria.
Seeks to Keep Nation Alive
"By help / mean such assistance as
will facilitate our task of keeping our
nation alive and at the same time of
fulfilling our obligations to the Allied
powers.
1--WE are now paying thirty prices for
everything we buy. That is to saw,
the crown has deprecated to one
thirtieth of its normal value At the
same time we have exhausted our re-
sources in securities and we have
nothing left but the resources which,
according to Article 1877 of the Treaty
OF st. German, are mortgaged to the
Al!les tor payment of reparations
II am going to ask the Supreme
Council to release from that mortgage
sufficient amount of our national
wealth to form the basis of security
for loans that are absolutely needed to
insure the feeding of our people What
we need first is a long-term credit
abroad of a hundred million dollars
with which to procure food until the
end of October, 1920
Further Credit Needed
"In the second place we need
further credit for providing raw ma
terlals, and, thirdly. exemption from
mortgage of our national wealth. pro-
vided for by Article 107, that will en-
able us to furnish basis for credits
absolutely requisite to the reestablish-
ment of our economic life-and that
establishment, it should be noted, is
prlmordlal and essential to the nav
ment by Austria of reparation to which
she has agreed.
I'VE are not seeking to escape any
responsibility. Of course. we who are
IN close touch with the trials and
needs of our own people, with an in
fant mortality of 60 per cent in Vienna
are CONFRONTED by an immediate object
lesson which we cannot overlook.
Relief now is the only thing that
can alleviate the present distress, and
credit alone can deliver us from the
menace of general famine and make it
possible for us eventually to pay our
debts.
Moral Principles Invoked
"Humanitaranism and moral prin-
clpies, apart from the interest of the
Allie, demand that people indebted
to them be safe from catastrophe, their
future assured and their fortune saved
from dliapidation. Tho crown, now
worth one-tnlfceth OF It's value. will
not remain at this point, and it would
De rank injustice to expect Austria to
pay its debts on this basis, while per
mlttlng others to make immense profits
out OF the fuctuation of exchange.
"Our existence and working capacity
must be assured by cooneration from
those to whom we are Obligated at
least for several months in advance.
II we are to save the situation. We
have sold all our foreign securities.
have pledged everything available and
have tried every way to keep afoat
there has been an enormous impov-
erishment of our resources and most
alarming depreciation of our cur
rency."