Albuquerque morning journal., 1922-12-17

surprisingly little more than such
an amount would in America to-
day. Each person who is allowed
to receive food at the kitchen (al)
cases being investigated before any
are accepted as members) is charg-
ed $500 kronen for the meal, or
about five cents in American mon
ey. That amount of money Is FAR
and away more than hundreds of
persons in Vienna are earning a
day, for the wages. except for
working men and those protected
by unions, have failed to keep step
with the falling currency.
Last spring, at a time when the
kitchen of Baroness Wassilko was
about to be abandoned because
there seemed no possibility of car
rying 1t forward, Herbert Hoover
undertook for the American Relief
Administration in addition to its
already tremendous responsible
ties to pay half the meal price for
the most destitute persons attend
ing this and other kitchens. Those
for whom half the meal is paid
by the A. r. A. would then have
to part with 1900 kronen to have
the meal. This amount is about
two and one-half cents in Amert-
can money. In spite of this help
the members who were 500 at
Baroness Wassilkos kitchen have
dwindled to 500 because the 800
who have discontinued have not the
two and a half cents it takes to
get the meal.
Timely Gift From America
The timely gift from the Ameri-
cans, the baroness assured me is all
that has kept this kitchen operat-
ing.
Even with the A. r. AS assis-
tance the meal / saw today consist
ed only of rice soup Ga little meat
stock being used; an agonizingly
small piece of meat, the same meat
doing service both for the soup
stock and the piece de resistance OF
the mea) a fair helping of potato,
a little gravy; a bun (much like
American coffee cake, but filled
with popply seeds). That was the
entire meal--no coffee, no butter,
no salad, no vegetables. -Four times
a week the menu provides meat
The other days something green
is substituted. Both for one meai
is a luxury not to be dreamed OF.
For hundreds, the baroness told
me, this will be the only meal un-
til tomorrow at the same hour
when flocks of shivering blue mp
ped human beings VIII huddle
about the doors smelling the life
giving soup which they Will get
tomorrow-but God only knows
how much longer.
The American Relief Admintstra-
ton as one of the organizations
that has come to the aid of this
and hundreds Of other Kitchens had
expected TO close its work in Aus
tria some months ago. Gradually
the work must close, the help be
Withdrawn, and then---?
In answer to the questions what
will follow that action" the baron
ess tearfully replied:
Many Faces Starvation
"Some are young. They VIII per-
haps go on. Many will die OF
disease which always follows un-
er-nourishment For most there
is nothing left but starvation"
Those who look for gayety to Vi
emma will find it as they do where
ever they 60. Many of the win
doWs are resplendent, But one who
knows human faces at all cannot
20 up and down the streets or
visit the public kitchens without
experiencing a twinge of heartache
The writer saw q mother today
with three babies. The one in arms
had on no clothes at all. 1t was
wound round and round in a red
crotcheted shawl. All of them were
blue with cold and looked more
than half starved. The infant gets
one pint of milk a day--and 1t is
very poor milk-half in quantity
the amount prescribed for Amert-
can infants of its age.
To the tourist Vienna is the city
of operas, cafes, fascinating shops
To the one who looks beneath,
Vienna Is the city of the empty
larder. A we'll known correspond
ent writing from Russia n few
years ago said when stomachs an"
empty--look for a revolution" One
cannot but reflect.
Witha1 the dark side there is 4
bright one too. Here it Is.
Before leaving her today. Bare
ness Wassilko said to me. Pleas
to thank the Americans. They
have been so good. Never again
| shall not want die money for dit
leisure. But / want it for my peo-
pie. Dere are hundreds of Wilma
women just like me dey want to
help now.
From die Americans--it is to
learn--ja."