The New York herald., 1922-05-17
AUSTRIAN OFFICIALS
PAY DEMAND FAILS
Chancellor Refuses to In
crease the Budget by 200
Billion Crowns.
FINANCES IN CHAOS
Presses Turn Out 1,00O,-
100000 Paper Crowns
Every Day.
SHOWS DEFICIT
Government Salaries Now To-
tai 400, 900, 900, 900 Crowns
Yearly-Prices Soaring.

Special Cable to THE New YoRx HERALD.
Copyright, 1923, by THE New YORK HERALD.
VIENNA, May 16.-Chancellor Scho-
ber has refused to give his consent to
increasing the Austrian budget by
zoe, ,o00,000,o 900 crowns in order to meet
the demands for higher salaries by
State officials who are threatening to
strike unless they receive an increase.
The Austrian crown having reached
a new low level of 10000 to the dollar,
it Is difficult to see how the country
is going to straighten out it's financial
difficulties. The new decrease is due
largely to efforts of the Government
to pacify unrest among civil servants
by granting a bonus of three times
their salary, which, with other consid-
erations, will increase expenses enor-
mously, in view of the fact that the
present salaries of all Government en-
ployees amount to 100000, ,000, 900
crowns yearly.
This means that of population Of
not quite 100000 every person. in
cluding children, must contribute about
60 900 crowns yearly solely for the SAL
laries OF Government employees.
Huge Deficit in Railways.
II the other persons drawing salaries
from the provincial administrations and
the municipalities are added to the
Government list one finds that every
sixth family in the State is main
tanned out of public funds.
Under these circumstances IL is not
astonishing thatIthe State railways are
operating with yearly deficit Of So. 000,-
100000 crowns in spite Of all tariff in
creases, No charges could make these
roads self-sustaining, as they have
to support about fifteen officials Of all
degrees per kilometer. most Of them
married men with families.
The industries which at first were
socialized and now are operated under
a modified form Of Government own
ership are suffering with the same diff
ficulty. The largest. the Woellersdorf
concern, at present is working with a
deficit of 6c0O. 900 crowns q year. OF
this 5000 100000 goes into general work.
ing expenses. and as the salaries OF
the employees exceed the gross re-
ceipts by only 1000 100000 crowns the
Government would save 5000. 1000 II
1t closed the establishment and con-
tiHueo ~ pay tHei OlllCldlS ana WOTk-
ers their full salaries.
Food Prices Again Increased.
With new increase in food prices,
estimated at from IL to 25 per cent
over March, and an increase Of 80 per
cent. In the price of bread and 90 per
cent. In meat prices, anything short of
100000 crown note Is almost useless.
With the presses turning out more than
1000. 100000 crowns In paper money
day conditions have become such that
in making purchases notes OF 1000
crowns or less are no longer counted but
weighed. Delicate scales are employed
which. when used with a table OF weight,
which has been worked out. serve the
purpose very we'll and save great deal
OF time.
1t is said the increase in the price Of
meat has been caused by the Hungarian
embargo on exports so as to meet repa-
ration demands. All this 1t is feared
will increase the opposition from allied
and neutral countries to the granting OF
credits to Austria.