Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 17.djvu/88

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37 training colleges for teachers with 736 lecturers 30 September, 1920, it was estimated at 44,958,000

and 5,043 students. kronen, with an annual interest of 1,554,000 kronen.

Abmt. — After the break-up of the Austrian mon* The debt of the new republic on that date

archy and during the subsequent confusion, the amounted to 14,904,000 kronen, with an annual

Austrian Government set up a defense force {Volks- chssf^e of 731,000,000 kronen. Tms does not include

toehr), which in August, 1920, consisted of 34,000 foreign credits for foods, etc., which is estimated

men. By the terms of the Treaty of St. Germain at 17,500,000 kronen. The desperate financial situa-

universal compulsory training was abolished in tion in Austria can be understood in the rate of

Austria, and the total miltiary force limited to exchange of the Austrian crown, which at the end

30.000 men, including officers and depot troops, to be of the year 1920 had sunk to over 2,000 to the organized either in divisions or in mixed brigades, pound sterling. The present value of the Krone is at Austria's discretion. All officers must be regu- j04 of the American dollar.

lars, and those serving now must serve to the age Whether Austria as created by the Treaty of St.

of forty. All measures of mobilization are for* Germain is capable of existence as an independent

bidden. The number of gendarmes, customs offi- state is yet to be proved. Her lack of means to

cers, foresters, and members of the police force must supply her economic needs, especially coal, rests

not exceed the number employed in a similar upon the antagonism existing between her and the

capacity in 1913. Educational and sporting clubs new states which formerly made up the monarchy,

are forbidden to occupy themselves with military and which takes concrete shape in the erection of

matters. Within two months of the final ratifica- high customs barriers. The majority of factories

tion of the treaty the air force of Austria was to in the realm are idle because high customs prevent

be demolished. With the abolition of Austria's the arrival of raw material and because there is

seacoast, the Austrian navy ceased to exist; 3 bat- no coal. The real difficulty lies in the violent

tleships, 3 light cruisers, 9 destroyers, 12 torpedo racial hatred between Czechs and Germans. Europe

boats, a mine-layer, and 6 Danube monitors were and America can do much for the rehabilitation of

surrendered to the allies. Two battleships were Austria, but outside of this, her future depends

brought by the Italians to Venice, while the ships on one thing, whether the Succession States (the

at Cattaro were handed to France. new States formed out of the old monarchy) can

Justice.— The Supreme Court of Justice and be induced to forego their hostility sufficiently to

Court of Cassation (Oberste Gerichts und Kassa^ supply her with coal, foodstuffs and raw material.

tionshof) in Vienna is the highest court in the When it is remembered that this small state, with

land. Besides there are 3 higher provincial courts an area of barely 30,000 square niiles and about

{Oberlandesgerichte), 17 provincial and district 6,000,000 inhabitants, has to pay its civil service

courts {Landea und Kreisgerichte), and in connec- 14,110,000 kronen half-yearly, that its expenditure

tion with these the jury courts {Geschworenen^ in cheapening foodstuff^ amounts to 10,400,000

gerichie). There are likewise 269 county courts kronen, and that the losses on the foreign exchange

{Bezirksgertchte) and 2 special courts for com- and interest payment of debt amount to 23,520,000

mercial affairs, 4 for industry, 1 constitutional court, kronen, it can be understood why the finance com-

1 administrative court, and 1 electoral court. mission entrusted with the economic restoration of

The law for unemployment insurance bears date Austria is justified in demanding, first and foremost, 24 March, 1920. Under the Act one-third of the the reduction of the personnel of the civil service, cost of unemployment insurance is to be borne by the gradual abolition of food subsidies, and a more the State, two-thirds by employers and workers, rational management of state-owned industrial con- Benefits under the scheme are not to be granted cems, before giving credit grants for consolidating for more than twelve weeks. the new Bank of I^ue and stabilizing the currency.

Economic Conditions.— According to the census Great Britain, France, Rumania, and Serbia have

returns of 31 January, 1921, Austria contains 3,084,- accepted a delay of twentv years in pressing liens

602 workers, of whom 333 per cent are engaged in rising from the priority of payment of reparations

industries; 31 J9 per cent in agriculture and forestry; and other credits.

12.1 per cent in commerce and trade; 8.8 per cent History (1908-1920).— In 1908 Aiistria utilized an in civil service, and 2A per cent in professions. In alleged Pan-Serb conspiracy as a pretext for an- 1919 the total acreage sown amounted to 4,084,121 nexmg Bosnia and Herzegovina. The annexation acres. Of the total in 1919, 2,126,175 were in Lower roused the deepest indignation in Servia, for the Austria and 929,988 acres in Upper Austria. The population in those two provinces was mostly Ser- chief products were (1920) as follows: Wheat, vian. It drew upon Austria the hostility of Russia 374,032 acres, yielding 149,515 metric tons; rye, and Servia, and gave impetus to the formation of 688,687 acres, yielding 251,410 tons; oats, 658,740 a new and formidable power on her borders. An acres, 187,730 tons; potatoes (1918), 290,697 acres, Austro-Turkish convention was later concluded 584,996 tons; turnips, 87,285 acres, 536,183 tons. (1909), in which Austria renounced the rights she The number of animals in 1918 were: 270,000 had acquired in respect of the Sanjak of Nov! horses, 858,000 cows, 223,000 oxen, 53,000 bulls. Bazar through the Berlin treaty, guaranteed the 499,000 calves. The production of lignite in 1920 free exercise of religion in Bosnia and Herzegovina, was 2,387,996 tons; of anthracite, 133,173 tons, and the payment of an indemnity as an eqmvalent There were IL anthracite mines worked in 1920 and for vakuf (Moslem religious property).

61 lignite mines. The railway statistics of Austria On 28 June, 1914, the Archduke Francis Ferdi-

in 1919 were as follows: State lines and private nand, nephew of the aged Emperor-King Francis

companies worked by the state, 2,659 miles; private Joseph and heir to the Hapsbure crowns, was as-

lines worked by the owners, 1,222 miles; state lines sassinated, together with his wife, in the streets

worked by private companies, 1.3 miles, making a of the Bosnian city of Serajevo by youthful Serb

total of 3,8^ miles. conspirators. The outrage caused an instantaneous

The Austrian standard coin is the krone, coined outburst of indignation throughout Austria-Hun-

in denominations of 100, 20, and 10, but the cur- gary, especially when the official Austrian investiga-

rency is for the most part paper, including even tion indicated that the plot waj9 hatched with the

20-heller pieces. The Republic's share of the old debt connivance of at least two officials of Servia. A

of Austria-Hungary is not yet definitely fixed. On week after the Serajevo assassination, a conference