CHAPTER XI.

A STORMY DEBATE

When summer was over and autumn was tinting the leaves with its brilliant hues, the krone began to fall again, (as had become its habit,) and the cost of living to rise. Prices became preposterous, even the rich hesitated to buy new clothes; laborers, office workers, and even the unemployed made new demands. A ride on the tramway car cost ten thousand kronen, a pound of butter a hundred thousand.

In October, when bitterness, restlessness, and discontent were at their height, the National Assembly convened; the face of the Chancellor was care-worn and deeply lined. When he spoke the awed silence of the old days did not prevail; instead, there were calls and loud remarks, even the galleries hooted occasionally, and the small Social-Democratic opposition no longer let itself be intimidated, but constantly joined in the debate.

After surveying the hopeless financial condition of the country, Schwertfeger went on to say:

“I must tell you frankly that the Christian people of Austria will be called upon to make many great sacrifices.” (Call from the gallery: “Only the Christians, of course, since we threw out the Jews!”) “Sacrifices that will require a stout heart and loyal patriotism! The government needs money for the continuance of its administrative business; and as we are unable to obtain further credit abroad, we must resort to new taxes, direct and indirect, to bring in the enormous sums required for the administration, to cover the interest on our debt, and to pay for the support of the unemployed.

“I know, ladies and gentlemen, that the people are bitterly disappointed; I assure you that I am also. The trouble is that we underestimated the difficulties of the transitory period, and thought that the Christian citizens would adapt themselves better to the control of our financial and business undertakings, which had been entirely in the hands of the Jews. But what are such disappointments in comparison with the lofty goal we have set ourselves--to give back Austria to her Aryan people, to build up a country that will be free of the spirit of usury, free of Jewish scepticism, free of the corrupting properties and elements that represent Jewry!”

At the close of his speech the Chancellor, raising his voice, put the question of confidence.

Dr. Wolters, representing the small Socialist fraction, spoke against the granting of credit, against approval of the government’s plans and against the vote of confidence. Vividly he portrayed the ever-growing misery, the imminent danger of national bankruptcy, the devastation of Austria’s economic and intellectual life. Among other things he said:

“More than two years ago, when he was arguing for his anti-Jewish law, the honorable Chancellor called our people honest, simple, and sincere, and declared that they are not fit to compete with that superior race, the Jews. But he overlooked one thing: That even without Jews we honest, sincere, and simple Austrians would be surrounded by nations which are all the more superior to us now that the Jews are no longer with us. What has become of Central-European commerce since the Jews are gone? We have lost it, for the Jews have taken it along to Prague and Budapest. What has become of our flourishing clothing, jewelry, and millinery industries? They have disappeared almost entirely, for they cannot live on honesty and sincerity alone, but need the Jewish purchasers of all the world, who make no bones about spending their easily acquired money. Today it is evident that we cannot dispense with the Jews.”

Wild shouts interrupted the Socialist leader. The Christian-Socialists and German Nationalists were furious, and cried, “Throw out the hireling of the Jews!” The turmoil became so great that the Presiding Officer, the red-bearded Tyrolese, had to close the meeting temporarily. When he opened it again, he reprimanded Dr. Wolters severely, because his words had deeply wounded the Christian sentiment of the deputies, and because he had attempted to undermine the foundations of the new state.

Finally all the proposals of the government were accepted, over the opposition of the Socialists. But many deputies had left before the vote, and later Schwertfeger, smiling grimly, told his Presiding Officer:

“This time they ran away--but next time they’ll vote against me, those opportunists, always looking for the winning side. Yesterday they shouted ‘Hosannah,’--but tomorrow they’ll cry ‘_Crucifige!_’”