The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1921-02-23
WILD EXTRAVAGNACE
IN VIENNA CAFES
IN THE MIDST OF STARVING
CHILDREN WEALTHY WOMEN
BATTLE PIGS IN WINE.

VIENNA-By Associated Press)-
Vulgar display of extravaganza in
food and clothing is nightly picture
at the gay restaurants here while
only few blocks away hungry and
scantily clothed persons are being
poorly fed in community kitchens
Visitors to Vienna are shocked by this
paradoxical economic condition. 9th
ers are either hardened to the contra
dictory sights or, in their inability to
alter either extreme, can only shut
their eyes to them.
Crowded theatres and operas at
tremendously advanced prices, con-
certs sold out in advance, masked ball
following masked ball in an endless
riot against the coming of Lent,
cabarets whose risque dancers would
bring out the police in New York and
where nothing to drink but wine is
served, cafes and restaurants with
never an empty table, not room to
be had in the big hotels whose prices
go up from week to week-that is one
picture. On the reverse foreign re-
lief straining itself and demanding
unceasing contributions in aid of
suffering populace.
In Austria it is the custom on New
Years Eve to bring squealing suck
ling pigs to public dining rooms and
the red ribbon with which they are
decorated is distributed in bits to
guests as talismans for the coming
year The newspapers report that in
one fashionable resort a woman
seized the pig and bathed it in
cooler full of wine. Other women
caught the original idea and initiated
it to the cost of many bottles. That
restaurant, incidentally, has had its
license suspended for constant viola
tion of the food and closing regula-
tions.
Vinnese claim that in all these re-
sorts where display and expenditure
of the most vulgar kind are evidenced
not one real Austrian can be found,
that they have not the money. They
say they are supported by the horde
of profiteers of every race and every
nationality that infest and infect the
city.
A recent demonstration of the pop
ulace is acknowledged to heve been
inspired by this prodigal display of
extravaganza and ready money on the
part of this small element of the pop
ulation.
The workingmen demand the gov
ernment shall suppress profiteering
and eliminate the sheba (profiteering
or middleman) and the
(illicit trader) in an eff
fort to lower the daily mounting cost
Of living, else they will undertake to
do so on their own account. They car
ried a miniature gallows in recent |
The authorities and thoughtful
Austrians acknowledge that this
froth of extravaganza and |
display is doing great harm to the
,ity and the country. Casual travel
srs who spend few days in the inner
,ity, visit these gorgeous resorts and
see the high-class restaurants crowd
ID at every meal, tea dances in the
afternoon, exceptionally well dressed
nen and women and the display of |
urs and jewels and articles of luxury
n the shop windows probably unex-
elled in any capital, are hard to con-
rince that beneath this veneer lies
privation and in certain
trata actual bitter suffering.
Some 100000 children are being
ed one nourishing meal day by
american charity. Through Ameri-
an aid the hospitals are being re-
furnished with long absent necessi-
les. Nearly 100000 Austrian chill
rem are charity guests in other coun-
ries. Indeed the charity of all nom
uffering peoples is being extended
ountifully to this country regardless
f creed or race, and all Investigators :
Tho dig deeply into conditions ac-
it is needed. !
But not infrequently the visitor, :
specially the American when he is :,
old this, gazes on the evidence of
realth and well being about him and
that it might be well to
pend some of this money at home in
lead of demanding aid from other
lnds. One answer is that this phase =
{ Vienna life brings money in and
Continued on page four) q