Evening star., 1946-08-02

or Of The stor
far the Austrian government, OBJ
vlously with some advice from the
other Allies, has stubbornly held
out
On the other side of the picture,
Gen. Clark and his military govern
ment officials feel that to deal with
the Russians with complete honesty,
but without kid gloves and pulling
of punches, is the only possible
policy. This is based on a year
filed with Incidents and the ex-
pectation that the Russians never
agree to anything until they have
explored all possible avenues of OBJ
tanning greater concessions.
Incidents With Russians.
Vienna itself is the scene of al
most nightly incidents" on the
streets of the American zone be-
tween Russian soldiers and United
States military police. Since some
OF the troubles were traced to Rus
slams who came into the zone armed
and, under the influence of what
little Vlennese night life remains,
began to assert their authority with
their pistols, Gen Clark requested
that none be permitted to enter our
zone armed. The Russian comman-
der agreed, but the incidents con-
tlnue. The Russians claim many of
them are due to deserters and this
explanation may be correct because
the desertion rate among the young
Soviet soldiers who object to return
ing to their homeland is reported
large
Although to some extent Vienna
escaped the terrific demolition from
the air which was visited on Berlin,
it is still a dead city. It's people are
hungry and lack clothing and shell
ter. After eight years of occupation
and war, malnutrition is rampant.
Long queues appear daily before
the food stores, but there is practi-
cally nothing else to be purchased.
Every encouragement has been
given to the Austrian government
for a rehabilitation plan for hotels
and all tourist facilities, one of the
most important prewar sources of
revenue in the country. Results are
not expected for another six months
or year.
r Meanwhile, the manager of the
once swank Vienna hotel where we
were billeted sadly shook his head
and said:
Poor Vienna. It will be 10 years
before We can get enough to take
care Of tourists like we used to do"
In the next block few workmen
were picking away at the ruins of
the opera house, once the most
magnificent in Europe. They hope
to clear away enough rubble to open
part OF 1t soon. The workmen are
also interested in trying to save
some Of the art treasures, lying in
the debris.
Women Gather Brush.
Over on the other side Of town
an excellent opera company was
performing Johann Strauss Vienna
Woods music. The audience in
cluded many Russian officers and
their wives.
All day long women pull little
carts through the streets, bearing
brush picked up in the suburbs for
fuel. Every one carries a rucksack
and on week ends all bicycle or hike
to the country in hope of obtaining
a few vegetables for an old pair Of
shoes or sweater. The hillsides of
the Vienna Woods are filled with
little gardens and so scarce is food
that as the crops ripen many of the
gardeners set up lean-tos and sleep
there to protect them from thieves.
A recent report of the military
government paints this doleful pic
ture for Austria:
There is lack of confidence In
the Austrian schilling.
There is no established exchange
rate abroad.
There is lack of foreign credits.
There is acute shortage or COM
plete lack of essential raw materials.
There is no unified border and
customs control.
There are large occupation forces
In this small country.
There are still interzonal barriers.
"And there is considerable dis
crepancy between the ceiling prices
in Austria and between price levels
on the world market"
This is the penalty as expressed
| in the last narapranh of tho hEocoou,
declaration:
Austria is reminded, however,
that she has responsibility, which
she cannot evade, for participation
In the war at the side of Hitlerite
Germany, and that in the final set
tlement account will inevitably be
taken of her own contribution to