The Washington herald., 1920-11-17
LOSS0F SOULS
BIG IN VIENNA
Drop Of l6NPer Cent Re-
corded in Austrian Capt.
tai Since 1917.
By Special Correspondent Of
The Washington Herald.

VIENNA. Nov. 16.-The popula-
tion of Vienna has fallen off 1eis
per cent since 1914. This is but
one indication of the state to
which this city has fallen. 1t does
not indicate the striking changes
in the physical appearance OF the
city. the paralysis OF its social and
intellectual life and the demorali-
zation OF its industry. all of which
have been brought about by the
same causes that are responsible
for the decrease in its population.
The war with its heavy toll OF
life of not only the military but
the civilian population and its de-
struction of the fabric of normal
Industrial and economic life is, of
course. a primary cause. Yet after
two years of peace" conditions in
Vienna seem to he worse than ever.
The fortunes of war and the iniq-
uities of the treaty of st. German
have left Austria a crippled state.
II is far extending mountainous
country without granaries or rich
stocks of cattle and above all with
out the coal formerly possessed by
the great empire from which vi
emma formerly received these COM
modites essential to it's industries
and necessary for the support of
its great population. Austria. as
now constituted. cannot possibly
produce sufficient foodstuffs for its
inhabitants. even excluding the
she must purchase them abroad
with a currency already highly de-
preciated and steadily falling.
The shortage of coal so restricts
industrial production that commod-
tiles for export are insufficient to
compensate the import of neces-
sary foodstuffs and raw materials.
AS a result industry is throttled.
railways cease to operate and un-
employment grows steadily. Mean
while the prices of foodstuffs and
heating materials are constantly
mounting and the people of Vienna
face a winter of hardships greater
than they have ever known.
AS one wanders about the
streets of Vienna he sees how this
hopeless condition is reflected in
the physical face of the city. The
operation of the municipal railway
has been suspended, and grass is
growing between rustinG rails.
Pavements are rutted aud uneven
and great buildings once teeminE
with industry are now silent and
deserted. One sees many houses
which appear to be ruins. In
many cases they might better he
described as ruins than as houses.
yet they are inhabited. In some
cases the desolate buildings are
structures which are gradually fall
ing to pieces for want of money
and materials for repairs. In other
cases they are buildings four or
five stories high, some rooted and
some not. which cannot be finished
because funds and bricks or other
structural materials are Rot to be
had. There are other buildings
which were to be four or five sto-
ries high where the roof has been
put directly over the ground floor.
The housing shortage makes II
necessary for all structures to be
utilized, but even when this is done
the number Of places. where human
beings can live Is wholly made
quate.
Frequently one sees splendid
tectual beauty and historic associa-
tions almost completely hidden by
scaffolds. When one stops to con-
slider that these noble edifices are
doomed to decay for want of funds
for repairs. he realizes that peace
has her devastation no Jess than
war.
Due to the lack of foodstuffs and
clothing and the conditions under
which the people of Vienna arc
forced to live, sickness is con-
stantly increasing. especially among
children and the aged. Hospital
facilities are pitifulIy inadequate.
but on account of the lack of mon
ey there is no hope of enlarging
the present hospitals or building
new ones.
Since conditions cannot possibly
he worse. and since It is felt that
Austria has been abandoned to its
fate by the allies. the COMMUNISTS
md In Vienna a fertile field for
their propaganda.