Evening star., 1921-01-16
MEAL ADAY SAVES
MANY LITTLE ONES
Benefit Of the American Re-
lief Work In Austria
Apparent.
AID GIVEN PROFESSORS
Cereals and Fats Will Be Exhaust
ed Next Month-Chancellor Says
Country Faces Bankruptcy.
BY A. r. DECKER

BY A. II. DEChEH.
By Cable to The Star and Chicago Daily News.
Copyright, 1921
VIENNA, Austria, January 15.-This
noon visited the old artillery barracks,
where the American relief administra-
ton is feeding several thousand children
Of Vienna, giving each child one nour-
ishing meal daily at a cost Of cents
Three hundred thousand Austrian
children are being fed and of these
160. 900 are in Vienna
II Relief Were Withdrawn.
I asked Dr. ,Pirquet. an Austrian child
expert, working with the admlnistra-
"what would happen if the relief work
were withdrawn"
'AThe children would quickly revert to
their former condition Of undernourish
ment." he replied. mot only would
their American food be gone. but they
would have to be fed from the small
Austrian stock, thus doubling the dis
aster. Indeed, food would not be OBJ
tainable and they would have to- go hum
DR.. Pirquet further told the writer
that the children had shown a wonderful
improvement since the feeding began,
the percentage Of the very badly nour-
ished class having been greatly reduced.
The school attendance has been In
creased by Is per cent.
Nearly All Undernourished.
OF the children in Vienna 81 per cent
were found to be undernourished, but
1t was found impossible to feed all
with the funds provided. Hence the
children were classified into three
whether to feed a few three meals
daily or provide one meal day to all
the most needy. It was decided to give
100000 one meal. Hence. while the
work is wide in scope 1t does not cover
the need. Austria has 1,1s2.000 chill.
these $4,000. upon scientific medical
examination. were found to be under
nourfshed and only one-third FED. All
the very badly nourished are being
fed and three-Quarters of the badly
nourished class.
In two Of V1enna's poorer districts.
per cent of the children receive only
American food. In other districts the
children are supposed to receive some
thing at home. for the American meal
is intended to be supplementary.
Aid for Professors.
The Rochester community fund has
been devoted to organizing cooper
aitive restaurant for Vienna profess
sors. In a transformed billiard room
the professors come as to club and
for a small payment receive simple
but good meal. The club is popular
and was certainly needed. for a pro-
fessor earns only about SO a month
in money. No one is prosperous ex-
cept. the "schiebers" or prohteers, be-
cause the cost of living has increased
100 times and wages and salaries. but
five times.
Few persons actually die Of hunger.
but, being underfed, they fall easy vic
Tins to disease. Infant mortality and
tuberculosis have increased 30 per
cent. ee
Austria Ii @BrOke.''
Austria is ''broke." and. the writer
understands. has been forced to pledge
Gobelin tapestries for food. Feb
ruary will see the end of the stocks
Of cereals and fats. after which any
thing can be expected, for the unem-
ployed cannot live on the government
aid Of 3 cents day.
A few days ago. almost in the form
of g. New Year call, Chancellor Mayr
visited the foreign representatives in
Vienna and practically declared that
Austria was facing bankruptcy. The
withdrawal or restriction Of American
aid, he said. would add starvation to
Austria's black outlook.