Evening star., 1928-04-22
CLASS WAR NEW MENACE
TO STARVING AUSTRIANS
Bankrupt People Blame Peace Treaties
and Boundary Changes for
Present Conditions.

chances of ultimate incorporation OF
1000 0U0 Austrian Germans in the
great German stafe Of the future.
The Austrian would not become Ger
man, since he perceives that this would
mean for him the status Of one Of the
minor German states. It would mean
that Vienna, yesterday the capital OF
an empire, the day before yesterday
superior in all respects 10 Berlin, would
sink to the rank Of z provincial capital.
To be thrown back even into eco
nomic association with the Czech, yes
terday his oppressed subject, today
dominated by a destructive nationalisn;
to be Joined with Hungary, the most
intensely aristocratic and reactlonaTy
unit in Europe; such 2 solution IS
hardly more tolerable than union with
a German. whom ne deSpises culturally
and fears economically and politically.
If there is q certain m0olEcatlon o.
Czech sentiment. measure OF recOgnl-
ton Of the necessity for cooperation
certainly there is no evidence that re
dictionary Hungary desires comolnalio1
with Socialistic Austria.
Sees Ultimate Collapse.
Once he has canvaSsed the situation,
the Austrian invariably comes back t.
his invincible pessimism. The present
condition can lead nowhere save TO
ultimate collapse. Such IS his Iudg-
rnent. To join Germany brings no real
promise Of relief. Germany Is over
industrialized. overbanked- II needs
new markets. II might reorganize
Austrian finance and business, but ii
could only reorganize downward. II
might reduce the cost, but II could
not increase the field
But no more can be said for re-
construction of the past. Czecho-
slovakia IS industrial and has organized
its finance with Prague as the center
Hungary. which vas once purely agrl-
cultural. is. with British aid, creating 2
new industrial system Of its own aac
the bankers Of Budapest having de-
veloped on the ruins OF Vienna, nave
no desire to go backward TO 1914
In the end. the Austrian makes this
simple statement 70 the nations Wnicn
made the peace treaties and remodeled
Europe. You are responsible. you did
this thing. 1t is for you 70 make /;
possible for me 70 live. II am help
less. If my country is impossible
economically. my capital incapable 2i
living under existing circumstances.
am not to blame. I am condemned tn
stay here"
There is no Austrian patriotism ir
the sense that there is German. French
or Italian. For centuries the Austrian
people were accustomed 70 rule many
tribes. Theirs was an imperial. not
national. sense. and It disappeared with
the empire Between the people OF thf
country. who are Catholic and meas
urably conservative. and those o. the
City Of Vienna, who are Socialist, there
is a gulf as profound as that which
used to separate upstate New YorS
from Manhattan. For practical pur-
poses. Vienna Is an independent
Socialist unit, nominally attached tr
the provinces, which closely resemble
the Germsn cantons Of Switzerland II
their character.
Class War Rampant.
Last Summer when the Socialist
masses got out of hand. rioted. ended
by burning the Palace Of Justice the
soldiers OF the provinces marched 60
the train ready to 80 down TO the cap
ital and clean up the mess. Today the
antagoniSm is less apparent The ex-
ploSion Of the Summer has Sobere6 the
popular leaders and the Socialist
masses. but the lack Of all common
sympathy is just as great.
Within the city the Socialist govs---.-
ment is engaged IN class war. II is de-
SAIVNlilS llNk AAO4sG A4kG Ak&S&C[A1Nf. A4E
the property owners by the simple proc
eSs Of forbidding the collection OF
rent The city funds are employed foa
enormous constructions OF municipal
apartment houses. but the owners ot
existing buildings are unable 70 charge
rents which exceed five or ten dollars
= year. This result is arrived at by
torhidding any increase Of rent since
the war time and reckoning that ren:
IN the old inflated currency. The CITY
authorities fix the cost Of repairs whic>
the tenant must make. but the owne,
gets nothing
II the new Europe Is a picture puzzle
Austria is the single piece for which
no one can find 3 place Politically
economically. socially il is one OF thr
most disturbing OF the surviving prob.
lens Of the postwar period.
fCoOvrsxht 1881