Evening star., 1947-11-06

Report on Europe .
Senator Tydngs Finds Austria Trieste and Greece All in
Need of Help From Outside
By Senator MiIiard E. Tydines

saoi yhs + h ssps s on M si nss IF sri1 dan.
will appear tomorrow0
Economic and political conditions in Austria
while far from satisfactory, are promising
Austria is not considered an enemy country
but enjoys liberated country" status 1t has
national government elected by its people
The Austrian nation is small, being about the
size of Maine and one-third of its six million
people are concentrated in the capital at
Vienna.
During the war, industrial buildings were
damaged to about IL per cent of the total.
and industrial machinery to about 20 per cent.
So far about one-fourth of the damaged build
ings and one-third OF the damaged machinery
have been repaired or restored.
When Hitler occupied Austria, he carried out
$50 0OO, 900 of gold with which Austria supported
her currency system. About $50 ,000, 900 of this
has been recovered and will be returned to
Austria. In the meantime, great deal OF
paper money has been printed and put in cir
culation. At present there Is little behind Aus
trian currency except a duly elected and re-
spected government, the armies of occupation,
and the will to make the best of the situation
until stronger currency can be created. Thus,
Austria does not have the money to buy from
the outside the food, fuel and raw materials
which she needs desperately.
The war increased Austria'S industrial plant
and enlarged her hydroelectric power. Even
with war damage, these are greater than in
1919 at the end of World War I. Industrial
production is said now to be about so per cent
of the prewar level.
Shortages of Food, Fuel, Clothing.
Normally, Austria produced about rs per cent
~ harf re- ricf trad md
ports formerly furnished the income which per-
mitted Austria to buy the extra food she re-
quired. Tourist trade now is almost NIL and
harvests in 1945 and 1916 were about one-half
of the prewar average.
The calorie consumption level Is said to be
around 1850. The hopes of increasing it to
1900 this fall have been largely shattered by
the drought which gripped Western Europe.
Austria is producing about as much coal now
as in the peak years before the war; This is
an outstanding record, but 1t is not sufncient
to meet her needs. She has restored her rail
network almost completely. There is, however,
q shortage of rolling stock.
Austria has enough oil to supply her own
needs. The oil fields, however are In the Rus
sian zone and Russia Is taking about half Of
the oil supply for her own purposes.
The United States has furnished about $780,
100000 and Britain about $10O0O0,000 for sup
plies for Austrian rehabilitation. Very little
help has come from Russia. Since the Com
munists were defeated In the November 1945
elections Russian policy is said to be hurtful to
Austrian recovery.
Without outside help Austria will face the
winter with shortage of fuel. food and cloth.
ing. The Communists are active in Austria,
but 50 far have been defeated In the elections.
The majority of Austrians seem unwilling to
adopt Communism as a national policy If they
can possibly avoid it.
The Hot Spot Of Trieste.
The visitor to Trieste will find the name Of
Tito, the dictator of Yugoslavia, painted on
many of its walls and buildings. There Is a
considerable communist organization in
Trieste Yugoslavia, formerly part OF Aus
tria- Hungary, keeps substantial military force
on the Trieste-Yugoslav border Clashes of
nationality and theology are inevitable 1t will
be a hot spot for sometime to come, and secur-
ity will likely only remain while there is a sub
stahtial military force Of British and American
troops in the territory
With q superb harbor, natural outlet for
Austria. Czechoslovakia, Hungary and Yugo-