Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1921-02-09

American Mission in Vienna, Austria,
will be of particular interest to his
many friends in the city, and as an
Original source study" in present
day history will probably be of gem
eral interest.
American Mission,
| Vienna, Austria, Dec. 81, 1920.
Dear Friend ---m.
Thanks heartily for your card. l
appreciate your thoughtfulness a
great deal. | sincerely hope that we
can maintain a mutual interesting
and profitable correspondence.
| am now settled in Vienna after
very interesting trip. We arrived
in Antwerp on the thirteenth of Dec
ember and Immediately took the
train to Brussels. Father, Mother and
| | parted there; they taking the Ital-
ian route to Stamboul and | the
| Vienna express to Vienna. 1t was on
this train that facts brought the true
condition of Central Europe home to
me very forcibly. The second night
out we travelled without either heat
or light. Imagine travelling in the
dead of winter without either of
these necessities to comfort! | had
rather an uneasy trip because | had
become separated from my luggage
which means ost here that l had lost
it. However, did as much tipping
as l could among the Custom Offic-
ials at the two borders and then
prayed fervently that my luggage
would eventually show up, bat
must admit that | did not have much
hope. However, fortune smiled on me
four days after my arrival in Vienna
and found my trunks at the Gus
toms House. We arrived in Vienna
at 1:20 a. m. | took cab and drove
around this misery laden city until
1915 a. m. before / finally found a
place to rest my weary bones. Fine
reception. wasn't it? The hovel in
which / had found shelter was abso-
solutely miserable, they couldn't fur
nish heat or any of the decent COM
forts. But | managed to sleep the
clock around anyway. The next after
moon | presented myself to Mr.. Fraz-
lier, the American Commissioner. He
turned me over to Consul Faster,
who was very cordial and friendly.
Mr.. Foster told me to take the next
two DAYS off and find suitable lodg-
Iings. Believe me, Carl, that was a
mighty hard job in this overcrowd-
ed city. At any rate, the next two
ldays one of the native clerks and
lcombed the town. We had given up
lin despair when Count Coudenhove,
whom I had met at the Consulate,
gave me an address and an intro
duction. The family to whom he had
introduced me are the Won Kodak
lowskis. gentle folk and members OF
the prewar nobility. They are very
well educated and agreeable people
They made inquiries at the Mission
about me and then finding me o. X
took me in. / have two very nice
rooms which are of comfortable size
and furnishings. | had rather inter
esting experience during those two
days when ! was forced to stay al
! that miserable hotel. The day aftel
: | arrived all the hotel and restaurant
. workers went on strike, so coult
not get anything to eat for love o.
money. | had only two meals during
: those two days, and they came
: through the courtesy of Vice-Consu
Simons who invited me to lunch tw'
days running. Before i could settl
myself to the steady routine OF life
| had to make arrangements with tn
| Bread Commissioner so that | coul'
buy my allowed one loaf of bread
week; with the Fuel COMMISSIONS
so that | could keep warm; with tn
Commissioner ad infnitum. But nov
| am fairly well settled. have mad
arrangements with Madame Roda
kowski to furnish me with my meals
washing and mending, etc. She ha
hired a maid for me who keeps m
y comfortable and clean, and her COO
, isn't bad sort either. 'Nuff said
| am now one of the cogs in tn
Missions routine. l am connecte
t with the Code and Telegraphic en-
: Iof' the daily business. My wHk
very interesting, but is essentially
brainfag. However, the political in
e terest associated with a positio
: similar to the one / am occupying j
4 sufficient compensation for the hour
: of studious care and detailed atten
ton. You see,. Carl, all the importar
4 codes and kilograms go throug
{ this division so we have a good sea
in the political and diplomatic pla,
For amusement 7 have limited my
tself to- the opera. The opera here
e fnmed all over the world and tn
s Viennese are schooled to the bes
The orchestra ACCOMMODATING N
singers is over hundred strnn'
y Thev are real musicians roo, led I
: surh famous men sc Strarse -,
Il Srhallt Vienna is known 20 no ~
rNreical city ef +ha wn~'d and n
lVieanese take pride in living IN Z,
Continued on page six.