Vienna.—Perhaps the most striking characteristic of Vienna just now is its citizens' indifference. To enter the crowded, smart, beautifully decorated cafes and watch the lively, laughing public there is to ask: "Do these people realize that they have lost the war and an empire, and are reduced to being citizens of a poverty-stricken state, with an enormous war debt, a bankrupt exchequer and an ever-growing army of unemployed?"
If a foreigner visited this city's cafes and restaurants without being told that he was in a country that had been engaged in a disastrous war for over four years, he would think its citizens sunned themselves in peaceful prosperity. Laughter, careless talk about the opera, the ballet, and a prominent actress' private life greet you from all sides; Not a word about war or politics.
Officers in bright colored uniforms with much gold lace and with rows of decorations glittering on their tunics, are as lively as the civilians, while the well-gowned women in costly, fashionable furs and jewelry, leave nothing to those who enjoyed life here before the war. They are every whit as "chic," as gay and as up-to-date.
The Smartest Cafe.
Strange to relate, Vienna's smartest, dearest, and most sought-after cafe was opened during the war. The Cafe Krantz is the last word in luxury and attractiveness. Money has been lavished on its decorations, and its music is supplied by the orchestra of the Volksfäger, conducted by the popular violinist and composer, Willy Kleinberg. Here idlers sip chocolate.  Made with water at 60 cents a small cup, eat small cakes of whitest flour at 70 cents each, flirt, chat, and listen to as good music as you can enjoy anywhere in the world. 