The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1921-01-06
VIENNA PEOPLE ARE
DYING OFF RAPIDLY
By Lloyd Allen
Omitted Press Correspondent

Omitted Press Correspondent
Vienna. (By MaiD.--In Vienna
you never see a cat or dog. They
disappeared more than year ago;
eaten by the starving population.
The cats and dogs would have
starved to death anyway, the Vien-
nese will tell you-elimination Of
pets was good economy.
Today there are thousands in this
town that have not eaten meat of
any kind for many months. It's too
expensive; even horse meat is beyond
the purse OF any except the well-to-
do.
Vienna is city of about 2,000,-
900 cut off from the food of the sur
rounding Austrian provinces because
the Austrian money is valueless. Why
should a farmer sell his scanty stocks
Of eggs and grain for paper currency
that is worthless. 1t will not buy
warm clothing, hosiery and SO forth,
except at outrageous prices. Today
an outfit of clothing for an ordinary
family costs 10000 kronen. At the
nominal value Of the kronen, that
means $4,000 in American money
Nobody but the ultra-rich can live
in ordinary comfort in Vienna The
professional peOple-dOctOrs law
yers, musicians, are worse off than
the day laoorers, because salaries
have not advanced in keeping with
the advance Of wages.
Literally, Vienna is dying rapidly
Once fiourishing industrial city
largest in the Austro-Hungarian
lononarchy-it is today town of
smoke,ess chimneys and stunned,
starving people.
The cost Of living for a family of
four, as worked out in careful esti-
mate, shows 5000 kronen as the re-
quirement for one month. This.
would mean from SO to $40, accord
ing to the present value of the kron-
The income of most families is und-
er 5000 kronen per month, so that
it only half meets the cost of ex-
penses for food and lodging, much
less buying clothing.
The death rate OF 1914 per thous-
and is the highest for any city in
Europe, while the birth rate for the
same period was 1877 per thousand,
SO that the deaths are more numer-
GUS than births.
On December first, the government
tried last desperate venture to feed
the people. \ huge system of food
distribution was inaugurated, subs-
died with government contribu-
ton Of $500. 900 kronen month
ly. But the system failed miserably,
because even with this government
help, prices are too high for the
people. One pound of lard sells for
100 krOnen; six pounds OF rice now
sell for 200 kronen, while in the
old days the same amount of rice
brought one kronen.
These figures explain why fifteen
out of every hundred babies die soon
after birth.
Physicians estimate ninety per
cent Of all Vienna children are afflict-
ed with stuberculosis. The extreme
cases Of this disease effect the flesh
and bones instead of the lungs and
can only be cured by long, tedious
and expensive treatment.
Many nations are trying to help
Vienna with charitable gifts; espe-
cially England and America. But
the surrounding states, Czecho-So-
vakia. Poland, Serbia. Rumania, are
unwilling to lift a finger to help the
stricken dying capital.
Americans are feeding more than
100000 boys and girls in all of Aus
tria every day. A Swedish commit
tee known as the "Rhedda Barren
feeds and clothes thousands of chill
dren of all ages. The American Joint
Distribution committee maintains
Jewish children. But nothing is be-
ing done for babies and young moth
ers. or for children over IA years of
age.
Hitherto 100000 children of Vien-
ma were taken to Italy, Switzerland
Holland or Denmark for several
months. where they were adopted in
to homes. News has Just reached vi
emma that the LIST three named coun-
tries will discontinue sheltering the
starvelings. The dazed Viennese are
at loss to know why this charity
has been stopped. 1t is said "pOli-
tics is very possibly the cause.
Meanwhile there is just enough
food inside the country to last three
weeks. But the people have long
ceased to thrill at such a situation
There's never any more food in Aus
tria during the winter months; for
which every Austrian blames the
treaty of st. Germrin, and then
thanks heaven for the American food
shipments that have kept the coun-
try alive since the great war ended
They know American aid cant con-
tinue forever: and are wondering
duly. what the next awful chapter
is going to be.
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