AS AUSTRIA SEES IT.

Taranaki Daily News, 2 October 1915, Page 12 (Supplement)

AS AUSTRIA SEES IT.

AUSTRIA'S PRIME MINISTER UNBURDENS HIMSELF. Gustav Sclieppendick, editor of the New York Deutsches Journal, who is now in Vienna, has obtained an interview with the Austrian Premier (Count Karl Sturgkh) for the group of newspapers of New York, Chicago and San Francisco controlled by William Randolph Hearst. It is the first newspaper interview ever given by the Austrian Premier, who said: ''Nobody can foretell the length of the war. It takes two sides to conclude peace. In my opinion, its duration will depend, for the most part, on how much Germany will demand from England. Some expansionists have Deon rather extravagant in their demands, and possibly this is tending to prolong the war. However, I believe, the responsible German authorities will be moderate in their demands when those coivte to be made. "Regarding the rumour concerning the statement foretelling the end of the war before winter, I am certain that such statements have not been made ofiicially. "It would be impossible for anyone to predict when the war will end. "Economically, our Empire is well able to stand a continuance of the war. Regulation of the food question, following in Germany's footsteps, has commenced. The strictures will only be enforced during the present harvest. Next year the whole German system of food control will be in operation. "England's efforts to starve the Central Powers have caused a tremendom economic revolution. The State is taking hold of the regulation of the grain supply and is controlling it in every stage from the distribution of seed corn until it is made into bread. It is confiscating the entire crops, fixing buying and selling prices, doling out rations according as they are needed, and is prohibiting speculation and cheapening the cost by straightening the road from the producer to the customer. "There is no State monopoly as there is in tpbacco, and the grain is not subject to taxation. "A new Government department has been organised under experts to enforce the regulation, and even the flour mills have been pressed into service. This new department is in no sense bureaucratic. The system of bread cards insures that the bread is equally distributed. The statistics show how much bread is available. Accordingly wc know just what we can do, there is no danger of famine, and we are always certain that there is enough bread for all. "Whether all this system will be abolished after the war is still uncertain. This year's harvest has been very gratifying, especially that of Hungary. Thus the problem of feeding the nation is less difficult than it was last year, and there is less chance of starving us into submission. PLENTY OF MONEY. "Moreover, there is plenty of feed for the animals and the weather has been extremely favourable. I admit that meat prices are higher, due partly to the enormous demands made by the army, but there is no real meat shortage. "The financial situation is most favourable. The economic strength of the nation is surprising even to us. "Our appeal to the citizens to support the Government with their savings was a splendid success and inspired the Government with new confidence. 'So far two loans have been nc-eossary, amounting to more than seven billion 1 crowns (1,400,000,000 dollars). A new 1 loan is impending and its success is as--1 sured. j "Following the example of Germany, 1 manufacturing of articles de luxe in Austria-Hungary, has ceased, there being no possibility of their exportation. ''Everybody is employed and (here is 110 change in everyday life. Trade is go- [ ing on as usual."