The Washington herald., 1921-01-10
THREATEN BREAD
STRIKE; AUSTRIAN
CRISIS ALARMING
Socialists Use Situation
To Discredit Political
Opponents.

VIENNA november SOb 4SG0-NDy
MsiD.-It Is probably true that po-
litical -Sairs in Austria receive al
most as much attention in foreign
countries ashley do here, where the
belief prevails that II makes little
difference what party Or what men
control the government since con-
ditions seem to be going from bad
to worse.
After the recent elections, which
resulted in a victory for the con-
servative parties, the Socialists
withdrew from the coalition gov
ernmsnt and left the two ministers
from the other parties to carry on
he work Of those who had resigneu
The interregnum lasted for about
four weeks, during which time ef-
forts were made by DR.. Schober, the
president of the Vienna police, to
form a cabinet which should con-
tain experts without regard to their
political Affiliations. Due to oppo-
sition on the part of the Pan-Ger-
mans, DR.. Schober's project failed
and the government was finally
formed by Prof. Michael Mayr, who
is chancellor and minister of for
eign affairs. The new cabinet is
practically a continuation Of the
former temporary cabinet, and con-
tains, in. addition to DR.. Mayr, three
members of the Catholic party, the
other six being government officials
without party connections.
Was in Parliament In 1907.
DIR. Mayr is a professor in the
University Of Innsbruck, and was 4
member Of the Austrian parliament
from 1907 to 1911, and of the ma
tional assembly 1919 and 1920. He
is also responsible for the revision
Of the Austrian constitution.
Heinl, minister Of commerce; Han
els, minister Of agriculture, and
DR.. Resch, minister of public well
fare, are all important members of
the Catholic party and have had
political experience, either as mem
bers Of the assembly or as cabinet
officers. Tho other ministers are
members of the Austrian bureau
cracy and are unknown outside the
departments with which they have
been connected.
Although only four of the mem
bers Of the cabinet belong to
political party, the Catholic party
is to be held responsible for the
action Of the government, and the
indications are that the Socialists
will endeavor to make things as
uncomfortable for them as possible
Toward this end a bread strike is
being threatened.
1t is quite true that the quality
Of the bread now distributed is
very poor, due to a large percent
age Of the corn -four which it con-
tains; but this is by no means a
Of Of M
the present government is, OF course,
not wholly responsible, since the
-four now being used was purchased
before this party came into control
Nevertheless, the Socialists are
threatening a general strike IL the
bread is not improved, and a local
strike Of railroad men in Styria has
already been started on this basis.
The fact that the present inferior
bread costs "a kronen to produce
and is sold by the government for
kronen is not taken into consid-
Grafton.
First Sessions Are Quiet.
Th first days of the session Of the
Nationalrat have been very quiet
and have been taken up with the
discussion of administrative matters.
NOInlnR G1Clllu5 - AlhGAy ~ OCCuA
when the Nationalrat and the Bun
desrat meet to elect the president of
Austria. 1t was expected that DR..
Mayr would be elected to this office
but his having accepted the post of
chancellor in the cabinet eliminates
him from consideration.
Events in the Tyrol in cdSnection
with the revival of the annual shoot
ing match or 'Landesschutzenf
of the Tyrolese home guards threat
ened for a time to cause consider
able trouble. The Socialists declared
that this was only a subterfuge for
a monarchical and reactionary dem
onstration, since those who would
take part were peasants or bour-
geols who were strongly anti-So-
uialistic. Another thing which
alarmed the Socialists was the fact
that delegations of Bavarian home
guards had been invited to partici-
pate in this festival. In order to
prevent this the Socialists called a
three days strike on the Tyrolese
railroads and even mobilized some
500 armed workmen to guard roads
on the Bayarian-TyrOlese frontier.
The Italian military authorities at
Innsbruck offered assistance to the
local home guards in case the So
cialists should make attempts at
violence. Their intervention. how
ever, was unnecessary: and although
there was considerable excitement,
there were no armed clashes.
Reports which have come to Aus
tria Of anti-German riots in Czecho-
Slovakia, especially Prague, have
reused considerable feeling and may
result in strained relation between
the CZechs and the Austrians. Such
a state of affairs would be particu-
larly unfortunate for the Austrians,
since they are dependent very large
ly upon the CZechs for their coal and
sugar supplies.
Death Rate Increases.
According to official medical re-
ports from Vienna. there has been a
considerable increase in deaths over
births during the week ending No
vember 13, the deaths of those over
so being disproportionately high.
The death rate in Vienna however,
is still slightly lower than that of
Budapest.
Food conditions in Austria are par
ticularly serious at this time. The
maintenance Of the December bread
ration depended on the arrival of
barges up the Danube from Serbia
These barges, however, had been held
up by low water at Budapest, and it
has been necessary to transfer their
cargo to the railroad, which has
caused considerable delay and an
Increase in the cost of bread, which
the population is not prepared to
meet: Arrangements are being made