The Washington times., 1922-09-15
FAM|NEFAC|NC
AUSTR|ANS As
FOOD RUNSOU7
Less Than Two Months Sup.
ply Left and Suffering Is
Imminent.
BY MARLIN E. PEW.
Copyright. 1922. by Cosmopolitan New
SerYice.l

BY MARLIN E. PEW.
| Copyright. 1922, by Cosmopolitan New
Service)
VIENNA, Sept. 15.-"Austria
has less than two months fooc
supply, and a famine. with all its
horror and suffering, is certain this
winter unless outside relief ar
rives," former Premier Johann
Schober, who now is chief Of police
of the Austrian capital, asserted
today.
Starvation Reported.
Schober was chancellor of Aus
tria early in this year.
Already cases of starvation
have been reported" he said.
This has been the case for the past
few months. A girl the daughter
Of a former government official, was
| found trying to live on pension OF
5000 crowns worth about cents
In American money. She had half
a loaf Of bread and was subsisting
, mainly on boiled grass and leaves:
She was nearly dead but was saved
by the private charity Of a visiting
Dutch journalist who learned OF her
plight.
"The purchasing power Of the
crown is nil. The harvest has been
most disappointing.
"Austrias hope Of life Is $50.
900 900 international loan, subscribed
in the name Of humanity and unable
to stabilize Austrias currency, so
that she may purchase coal, food
and other essentials from outside her
restricted domain. international
financial control. II non-political.
would be acceptable to Austria"
Plight Unbelievable.
Schober delegated a police 'nspec-
tor to accompany me to one NJ the
stricken Vienna districts. We Wis
tied scores of homes Of the poverty
stricken. Their plight Is unbeliev-
able. The condition Of the cltys
poor, housed in barracks, was pititul.
A dozen ragged urchins and ADULTS
occupied two rooms. so pressed Is
the city for space to take care OF
the INDECENT Their food COMPRISES
mainly vegetables. The men, women
and children go without sugar, tais'
and often without bread for weeks
at a time. ,
The condition among the union
lied workers was found to be hetter
than among She so-called Wldule
classes. Teachers. artists ana inu-
sIcians of the latter group ire IN
the worst plight. .
Seventy-eight thousand crowns TO.
day equal 81. Some OF the 1000
nrices are: Bread, 5000 crowns a loat'
sugar. when obtainable. 10000 70
~ 900 crowns a pound: veal, 2o'ooo
crowns a pound; beef, $4,000 crowns
a mound: one egg, 5000 crowns
swiss cheese, 35, 900 crowns pouho'
coffee. 40 900 crowns pound.
Coal sells at 600 crowns pound.
and is difficult to obtain, even IN
small quantities. at that price Au
overcoat costs 10000 crowns, so
few Viennese are floCking into stores
huying winter wearing apparel
Woolen cloth sells at 10000 crowns
q ward. Shoes for adults are 25O'ooo
crowns pair.
The wages of the skilled workers
average 100000 crowns weekly
Street car workers get lSO,Ooo
week (about $3.50. Many women
toiIers get less than 100000 crowns
a week. Many families are existing
or 400, 900 crowns month.
The former brilliant Vienna, the
oldest German cultural city, Is
dark and dreary place at nights.
There is a minimum Of gaiety, even
in hotels. The people seem to be
nervous wrecks. However. there is
minimum of crime. although sui
cides are common, 1t being a fire.
ouent occurrence for a former gov
ernment official to blot out his
existence.
The city was without newspapers
for ten days. the printers striking.
Consequently. there were the wild
est rumors and confusion resulting.
II am told on every side that
there Is no immediate danger Of
serious outbreaks. Communism Is
unpopular here.