The New York herald., 1921-01-16
PLOTTING CROOKS
AND ADVENTURES
SWARM IN VIENNA
Political Intrigues Thick
Among Refugees From
Many Places.
MUCH SPURIOUS MONEY
Curb Dealers in Exchange
Manipulate Rates and
Fleece Unwary.
FOUR REVOLUTIONS AIDED
Professional Swindlers In
Guise of Russian Princes
Gather Rich Loot.


HERALD.
<ror,,riobt ,oof b,, rrIlr New YORK HERALD.
VIENNA. Jan. 5.-Vienna continues to
exercise an Irresistible charm on all
those accustomed to the marrow and
often dangerous conditions in eastern
and southeastern Europe. For the
residents of many Russian. Polish and
Hungarian communities Vienna is an
El Dorado with luxurious comfort and
n safety Of existence which they have
missed since the beginning of the war.
Thus it has been an asylum for all
sorts of refugees and adventurers from
the time Of the first Russian invasion
into Galicia to the present day.
The chief contingent has been con-
tributed by Eastern Jews Of all nation
alities, but besides these there is also
constant influx of other people of vari-
Gus categories, especially since Austria
became democratic republic. Hunga-
rian Bolsheviks and Russian counter
revolutionaries, Ukrainians. anti-Czech-
SIovaks, anti-Serbian Croats, former
Austrian State officials of German ma
tionality who were dismissed by the
Governments of the new national states
all have come to Vienna and are trying
to spin intrigues against the countries
Of their origin or to find living,
And for not few ethics Is not what
counts. Instead of the expected depop-
ulation of the Austrian capital, it is
overpopulated, and this has added
greatly to the difficulty of provisioning
the city.
AS the line between honest and illegal
trade has become hard to determine III
the present abnormal conditions. with
the innumerable and often impossible
restrictive rules and regulations, many
thousands are supporting themselves by
the more or less dark transactions which
go under the collective name of "Schle-
berei."
"Currency Curb" Full of Action.
One war creation that has become
permanent feature OF the city is the
currency curb" OF the Galician refugees.
most of them Jews. who walk up and
down in gesticulating groups on the
Schottenring before the Stock Exchange
every morning and afternoon during the
Lus.ness hours. apparently Interested In
nothing but their conversation. From
time to time one VIII leave his own
group and join another or rush on
through the crowd to some mysterious
destination Others cluster together In
the cafes or ill the narrow waiting
rooms OF the little banking houses which
have been opened by the dozens In the
surrounding districts.
It Is n decidedly Eastern sight and
one gets the impression of an Oriental
bazaar If one listens to what these
strange persons say, one viii near
rothing but transactions in Austrian
crowns, Italian lire, American dollars
and so ON. Despite occasional police
raids and confiscations of their foreign
money stocks they all seem to get on
fairly well. as their costly fur coats and
diamond rings testify.
Some are said to belong TO the veal
thiest inhabitants of Vienna. From the
fiscal point of view they are dangerous.
not only because they always try to
drive the exchange rates up and down
as quickly as possible, but also because
they are the most cunning of interna-
tional money smugglers and employ not
only false but even bona fide diplomatic
couriers in their business
Another fayorite and sometimes
profitable line OF business is TO settle
down in Vienna as political agent
and conspirator. Never before have
there been so many political causes for
which such large sums are squandered.
Political conspiracies in cafes and other
public places or In private apartments
have become part OF the city life.
Refugees Stirring Strife.
Hungarians, Russians. Croats and
Slovaks who had to flee from their
countries for political reasons are not
content with awaiting calmly their
chance FOR an unmolested return. but
want TO influence events and to have
hand In the game of international
politics. They form revolutionary COM
mittees, engage unemployed Austrian
journalists as "chefs" of their press
propaganda and improvise secret emer-
gcncy courts OF Justice. which pass death
sentences only.
Sometimes these sentences are even
executed IL the condemned person is
careless enough to leave the safe
grounds of Austrian territory. or
course business Of all sorts is mixed
UP with this underground political ac-
uvity and many arc the bundles of
worthless rubles which have been fool
ishly bought from statesmen" for real
money.
Austria has four revolutionary ma
tional movements of Importance In its
Immediate neighhorhood--the Slovak
IloNcihthN dbdinst lnc tZechO-SlONHkian
state. which Is supported by the Mag
yars: the Croatian movement against
the Jugo-Slav union. the Bolshevik Hun
garian movement and one rkrainian
movement directed against Petlura Be-
sides many Russian counter revolution
ary committees choose Vienna for n
meeting place from time to time
If ono turns TO the guild OF t,-o-
fcssionai swindlcrs and adventurers who
net on their own account and choose
their political or commercial mask ac-
cording TO their tastes or the require
ments Of the moment. one finds that
the disguise Of Russian prince is still
much In favor. Although experience
teaches that 90 of 100 Russian princes
are not genuine. the 20 false ones can
still count upon finding profitable
credulity. IL seems to have become the
rule that the roal Russian princes hide
under plain names without titles and
only the false ones wear the titles i,uD-
licly.
young Russian committed suicide
IA y Niennesc hotel last summer bee
cause his means were exhausted. When
the police searched his room IL turned
out that he nad been a real prince Of a
We'll known family. whose huge estates
In Russia had been sccializcd
on the OIL or hand the po,icc arrested
certain Prince Rybakow recently who.
under the prctcxt. of marriage. had
swindled young Nicrncse woman OF