The New York herald., 1922-04-16
More Carefully Prepared and
More Useful for Prospec-
ss tive Buyer.
AMERICANS SEEK STYLES
Had Fine Exhibition Of Boots,
Shoes, Rubbers and Shoe
@s6
eE makers Textiles.

emma Sample Fair. with 400 exhibitors,
was. about as big as the last fair, by
which the new institution was inaugu-
rated. About 1000 applications for ad-
mission had to be rejected. because the
available space was limited and could
only be extended very gradually II
the first fair had mucf. of the char
acter of a popular festival with crowds
of sightseers, who were rather a nui-
sance for the real buyers. the second
had a quieter and more subdued aspect
and did not bring any noticeable change
into the outward appearance or the
streets, except in the immediate sur
roundings of the exhibition buildings.
But it was more serious, more care
fully prepared and really a fine sight.
not only for the prospective buyer, but
also for the general observer wanting
to get a survey of the industrial de-
yelopment of Austria and the neighbor-
ing States. 1t was also more interna-
tional. About 10 per cent. OF the ex-
hjbitors were foreign, and it is estimated
that about fifty American firms were
represented, mostly by local agencies.
and offering leather. textiles. rubber
shoes. boots and office equipment.
Austrians have stil1 retained the
habit of distinguishing between ''altes"
and "neues Ausland." The former ex-
preston covers the world. which was
already foreign at the time of the Aus
tro-Hungarian monarchy, whereas the
latter designs the countries which have
become foreign by the peace treaties and
are not yet regarded as "Ausland" in
the strict sense of the word. II one
applies this local distinction between
semi foreigners and real foreigners, one
finds that the fair was more interna-
tional than its predecessor.
n oct M fba MY har ~
real foreigners actually present in
Vienna was difficult to obtain, but prob
ably 1t was about 5000. Among them
were citizens of nearly all European
countries. 1t was noticed that the
French and Belgians predominated,
whereas the Italians. who formed the
biggest contingent last time. stayed
away, owing to the stagnation in their
own country. The rest of the visitors
was made up by new" foreigners from
the. succession States.
Four Big Groups.
The exposition was divided into four
big groups, each of which was housed in
a separate building, i. e.. the technical
market in the Rotunda, the luxury fair
in. the former court stables, the fashion
and textile fair, with an appendix of
musical instruments. In the new wing
of the Imperial Castle, and the paper
and office equipment exposition in one
or the barracks.
Although the Vienna fair cannot
nearly compete in size with Leipzig. it
Is still very remarkable and interna-
tionally important as high quality
market, which is likely to become a
lasting and powerful factor in south
eastern Europe. 1t has its own indi-
viduality as the exponent of the Vienna
luxury and fashion trade and the highly
developed applied arts. two sections of
production which have already achieved
great perfection and are likely to be-
come still more efficient and influential
IN the near future.
The technical fair was Of the usual
type. as one could encounter 1t in almost
any big city of the world. It needed a
big center. that was all. There had been
nothing typically viennese about it.
But the fashion. novelty and arts mar
ket had its special Viennese cachet
which 1t could not have attained any
where else. and 1t was this market
which chiefly attracted the western
buyers. They were the backbone and
nucleus of the whole show and the
great hope of the yiennese exporters
to the really" foreign parts OF the
world.
The average American buyer. for in
stance. does not come here for bulk
stuff unless he means to transact busi-
hess with the commercial headquarters
of the Czecho-Slovak textile industry,
which are in most cases located In
Vienna, in spite OF all political changes
He comes to Vienna for styles and
novelties OF an outspoken luxury type
which America does not produce and
which he can land on the other side
ut profitable prices. even with the
fxx,x< <rt <l,xtf l. t~f- y
are now. What the American wants
here are model dresses. model hats,
ladies' bags and other high class leather
fancy work, jewelry and the innumer-
able things going under the name of
arts. IT is the application of new ideas.
the sure taste and the fine handworlx
that make Vienna for him a paying
proposition.
This special line OF production was
excellently represented and the choice
could not have been better or more
extensive than il really was. The style
and luxury trades have always had
sufficient work and so far hardly ex-
perienced any serious tie up or unem-
ployment. They are also satisfied with
the results OF the fair. Ii was registered
with considerable satisfaction that Mr..
Steines of the Emporium" in San Fran
cisco sent home an enthusiastic cable on
HIS experiences here.
sis Exchange Rate Helped.
4It4tr
The last fair happened to coincide
with the tremendous slump OF the Aus
.frian crown, which drove Austria almost
to despair. One of the consequences
was that many OF the smaller firms
could not carry out their orders in time
ond at the stipulated prices. There was
Hope that a repetition will be avoided
this time. In view of the comparatively
high wages and the resulting high price
quotations. 1t was of Importance that
the crown should be low during tho
fxfr and afterwards either be stable OF
slowly increasing In value. The first
co-dition was fulfilled in a certain, al.
though moderate degree. with the dol
riar quoting 1900 crowns the possibility
of selling at competitive prices existed
for most trades.
The fashion fair was this time en-.
riched by fine exhibition of excellent
looking American boots and shoes, rub
Der shoes. leather and textiles con-
nected with shoemakng. Mr.. Adolph