THE RE-BIRTH OF VIENNA.

Shannon News, 7 March 1924, Page 4

THE RE-BIRTH OF VIENNA.

AUSTRIAN SELF-HEIiP. ELECTRICITY AND BUILDING. The Peace Treaty converted Austria info a second Switzerland, leaving her with plenty of industries but depriving her of all her coal and raw ] material resources, writes the correspondent of an English journal. Like Switzerland, the Austrian Republic is a country of alps and mountains. Austria possesses the most difficult railway stretches in the whole of Europe. There are three or four places in the country where the railway tracks creep up to heights exceeding 3,000 ft —-a circumstance which makes, the running of the trains enormously expensive, especially in view of the need of importation of fuel. On the other hand, Austria possesses ample water power to run these lines by electricity. In the monarchy the electrification of the railways was hindered by two factors; first, the General Staff vetoed electrification for strategic reasons (power stations can be easily destroyed in case of war), and second the Czech-Silesian coal interests sabotaged the plan for obvious economic reasons. The Peace Treatysevered the Teschen mines from the mother country, and today the little Republic has to pay more for her fuel than any other country in Europe. Up to 1920 Austria was developing "white coal" power to the amount of only 300, 000 h.p. whereas the possible power which can be developed amounts to two million h.p. There are over 300 water-power installations under construction, and it is expected- that the. quantity developed, pre-war will soon be doubled. Thirty-five big power 'stations have been erected up to the present, some to serve the electrification of the railways and some to supply light and industrial power. The most important works under construction are the Spullersee stations, for the electrification of the Arlberg railway (48,000 h.p.); the almost complete Dutebach works, which will supply the power for the first to be opened; the twenty odd miles from Innsbruck to Worgl (20,000 h.p.); Mallnitz works, Carinthia (20,000 h. p.); Stubachtal works in Salzburg (48,000 h.p.); Gosau works, Upper Austria (10,000 h.p.), etc. three last-named wiH be completed in 1924. When the whole Vienna- Varalberg line (460 niiles) is J. electrified the State will save 400,000 i tons of coal a year.

Other stations are intended to supply Vienna and other cities with light and industrial power. The huge Partenstein power station, which is to supply power for the city of Vienna, will be'finished in 1924. This works will also supply power to the extensive engineering works in Styr. Many other important stations are being constructed all over the country.; And all this has been achieved mainly; with out great difficulties. Frequently construction had to be abandoned, but always ways and means were found to resume the good work. The Vienna municipality has adopted an elaborate building scheme. It is spending 293 milliards kronen during the current half-year; in the relief of unemployment by building operations, enlarging the Lainz Hospital constructing new public baths and repairing old ones, enlarging slaughterhouses, erecting a municipal laundry, a tuberculosis sanatorium, workshops and municipal dwelling houses in the industrial districts. ' CO-OPERATIVE BUIfcDING.

- But the most imposing building scheme in Austria is that of the co-op-erative settlements. Unfortunately the financial reconstruction has hit this scheme. These co-operative settlements used to receive considerable subsidies from tho State. The Geneva Convention obliged the State to effect great economies, and the subsidies had: to be reduced, and in many cases stopped altogether. Fortunately, the League of Nations Commisioner, Dr. Zimmerman, realised the importance of the co-operative work. At his last visit to Geneva he sucessfully pleaded for the release of part of the loan for constructive purposes, and it is expected that shortly the settlements will be enableed to resume work. The Society of Friends played an admirable part in developing and planning these settlements, and it is due to the generosity of the Friends that the co-op-erative building went on during the period when State subsidies were not available.

The housing question in Vienna was the worst in Europe, with the exception of Budapest and perhaps Moscow. The number of people who lived ten and more in one room exceeded a hundred thousand. Some homeless, wounded soldiers started the first settlements, mostly on sites near Vienna which formerly belonged to the Royal family, A little money was borrowed by the State, somo by the municipality of Vienna. The Society of' Friends helped the settlors. Each settler was to pay; a small monthly contribution and had to help with his own hands by putting 15no hours', work into the erection of hi? own house. There are now more than forty such co-operative village settlements either finished or nearing completion in and around Vienna.

The agricultural situation in Austria is also improving. It is calculated that 61 per cent of Austria's flour supply can now be covered by her own agriculture. The following flgv..es are taken from a memorandum presented by the Chamber of Agriculture to the Government. It must be remembered that food prices have fallen in many oases. On the other hand, Austria is eating a good deal more than in 1920. IMPORTS OF -FOODSTUFFS. (The figures for 1923 are estimated from the first'three months' results). Values in million of gold kronen.

Beverages .. ..52 37 21 0.6 Tobacco .... 23 41 45 61.6 There have been. great reforms in agricultural co-operation. Twelve big co-operative organisations exist now in rural Austria, Productive co-opera-tion is growing.' There has been an amazing growth of co-operative, societies in rural Styria to produqe. electric power for lighting and driving machinery.

1920 1921 1922 1923 All food-stuffs except live stock 634 497 409 349 Cattle .. .. 19 47* 85 100