South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-05-04
MANY AUSTRIANS
ARE SUPPORTED
BY GOVERNMENT
One-fifth of Entire Popula-
ton Lives Off Tax
payers Money.

VIENNA. May 3-One-hfth Of
the population or Austria, 100000
mem bers OF the families OF central.
provincial and municipal govern
Iuent employees, are supported by
the taxpayers. according 20 the
paper New Eight O'Clock. in an ar
tIcle questioning a statement by
the finance minister. DR.. Reisch.
In the negotiations recently con-
cluded between the cabinet council
and employees OF the central govern
ment for a general increase in sal
aries and allowances the top heavi-
ness Of the Austrian government
machine was revealed. Foreign OBJ
servers and investigators having 70
do with the peace settlement have
repeatedly commented on the ex-
travagant number OF civil servants
employed in all departments.
Or. Reisch admitted in the dis
cussions that the civil list numbered
20 900 persons. The New Eight
O'Clock. however. challenged that
cure as too low and declared that
- the various liquidation commits
ons and other positions created
under after-war conditions were
taken into consideration 10 would
De shown that there are not far
from 900 600 government employees.
Long List Published.
Austria has only 100000 popu-
Itton and il IS estimated that each
government salary supports a fam
.Iv Of four The newspapers gen
orallv are uniting in a demand that
The civil list be reduced by the ina
mediate dismissal Of 10 per cent
The adjustment reached about
March Is adds round 1000 600.
600 crowns TO the already appalling
cefcit that confronts the govern
iuent II is TO be met by another
Increase IN the price of tobacco
%, oducts and in public utility rates
such as railway freight and passen-
ger tariffs and possibly postage and
teleEraphs
About the only concession the
government won was an increase in
hours Of from six 10 seven a day
with the understanding that a pos
s BILE extension 10 an eight-hOur
dty would be the subject of fur
tner negotiation.
Increase Demanded
Employees Of the national state or
provinces. apart from those of the
central government are also de-
manding a heavy increase in salar-
les and allowances. At first they
made an effort TO join forces with
the latter but this became compli-
Gated and was defeated by the de
mand of the municipal employees Of
Vienna TO be admitted to tho com
bination favored by the new govern
ment scale. Government servants
IN Austria enjoy a special low rail-
way rate but among the demands
they made, which was refused, was
free transportation.
Figures just compiled show that
in 1913 an average family Of four
persons. living I'm the most modest
manner and eliminating all luxur-
les. spent 1876 crowns a year.
while now the same necessities. il
available, would cost 231.89S crowns.
Prices VIII Advance.
The more thoughtful and serious
newspapers point out that the in
creased wage scale is only another
step in the vicious circle" and that
The uncontrolled merchandise will
tut up prices correspondingly. on
every hand the question is asked
When will the end come? And
what then ?"
Meanwhile the government says
80 cannot decrease the civil list and
dismiss so large a number of men,
when there is no employment open
TO them, and emigration Is practical
" prohibited. II would, they say.
bring about "a crisis"
In some quarters. II is asserted,
the government IS poweriess 70
break down the old Bureaucracy. It
is A firmly entrenched relic OF the
empire. II is said. and TO touch il
would mean political death for the
government brave enough 10 at
tempt II.