Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-02-08
VIENNA LATCH KEYS
WERE A FOOT LONG
Massive Gothic Lock and Prof.
iteering Janitor Yield to
Modern Continuance.

Through all the years Of yiennas
social brilliance, when the city was the
very capital Of gaycty and music, the
Viennese did without latchkcy, says the
New York Evening Post. To them
that emblem Of domestic Independence
was not TO be thought Of rs n personal
possession. You will understand why,
III you have ever behcld q Viennese
latchkcy. A 45-cahbrc revolver is
delicate toy in comparison Whoever
took his key 10 the opera with him
would have been obliged 10 take
porter, too, TO carry il. For this impc-
ment OF security was sometimes a foot
long, and its weight surpassed that Of
the largest black bass caught in Jersey
this stnAon
Only now, when her festivities ore
rimmcd with tragedy, have the citizens
Of Vienna adopted the modern key. A
'1atchkey law" has been passed, which
will depose that ancient iyrant--thc
hausmcister. For those who arc not
lords of their own mansions, the shadow
of necessary tip has been lifted from
the return after 10 p. IN. Something OF
the picturesque has gone with the olden
custom, but convenience has been
gained.
The reason for the hausmeister,. or
| janitor; for the city curfew and tho
giant key, are known to those who have
| lived in Vienna, but to others II will
seem strange that great city should
do without modern locks until 1921.
The houses there, like those all over
Germany and Austria, arc built without
alleys. There lis no way OF getting TO
the courtyard, or whatever else may be
in back, except by going through the
house itself. So right through even the
most magnificent home leads q pass
ageway. You might upon occasion see
the aristocratic bronze door Of noble
mans residence swing open to let a
team Of workhorscs come out. To fit
| the locks on such doors the great keys
were made.
Upon the ignorance Of what went on
in the houses in back, which prevailed
in the fine houses in front. Sudermann
bascd his social philosophy OF Dss
Hinterhaus and Das Forderhaus. In
those times the people of the courtyard
dwellings were those whom society did
not care to consider, but today in Vienna
Hinterhaus and Forderhsus are suffering
together, and everybody, having his
own key, goes and comes ne he pleases
without paying his respects 10 the
guardian and financiering porter at the
entrance.
This porter, who presided over the
passagcway which ran through thf
houses and gave entrance 20 each one
WAS naturally a profiteer, for 1T was inn
possible TO get in without insuring hi
good graces; and after the Vienna cur
few hour-which not long ago was a
early az 10 o'clock-he had to be sum
moned 10 open the door by ringing bel
which wakened everybody in the houss
and the immediate neighlbrhood anc
made the theatre-goer feel rather guilty
To Danish this feeling, he gave tbs
porter a sperrsechserl, coin about th,
size of dime, and worth about 21
cents of our money.
The multitude of Sperrsecserls counted
up. The porter often became quite {
magnate. The theatres in Vienna usee
TO open at z, and in order to escap,
the hausmeister' s toll people of lessee
means might be, seen returning from
places Of amusement post haste, il
the hope of getting indoors before 10
so they needn't ring up the Cerberus o
their apartment.
1t may seem to the American that
portable key should have been invente,
sooner, in the interests of Viennese com
forts, but he should see the btautifu
locks which the monstrous old keys wer,
made TO fit. They are masterpieces o
craftsmanship, each one months in tn,
making, and they were regarded as tn,
crowniDg ornament of the n assive
mediaeval doors. Many of these lock
are already in museums Of art. and NOR,
will be available with the passing OF tn,
''latchkey law" And although eS en- a,
exquisite piece OF metal work is hardl-
worth the expense of maintaining
special guardian to WELD fve-poun,
key, one wonders how modern apart
ment house lock will look in the carver
and craven doors of Vienna's olt
houses.
l "Is the entrance good?" we ask. il
hunting apartments.
In Vienna the answer might Otter
have been: at is the work of Gothi
master"