The populace of Vienna, usually quiet enough, has been rioting
this week in a serious way. The popular mode of
locomotion in Vienna, where the citizens go great distances to enjoy fresh air and shade, is by tramcar ; and the Tramcar Companies, eager for dividends, overcrowd their carriages, and work their men to death. The conductors are often on duty for sixteen hours a day, and declare that the exertion of working the brakes during that long period produces within ten years either death or paralysis. On Sunday, therefore, they struck work for shorter hours, and as the Companies would not yield, the workmen of the suburbs sided with the conductors, stopped the cars—to the grief of Vienna, which wanted to get to the Prater, and would not walk there if it were paid to do it—smashed windows, and stoned the police. The hardness of the Companies, moreover, being attributed, as usual, to the Jew shareholders, a regular anti-Semitic riot was organised, and on Wednesday the Jews were in extreme danger. Large bodies of cavalry and infantry were called out, and two suburbs occupied in regular military fashion ; but the mob continued to throw stones, and several policemen, soldiers, and citizens were seriously wounded in the street conflicts. At last the order was given to use firearms, and then the mob gave way, without compelling the soldiers to fire ; and on Thursday night order was restored, and the conductors went back to work.
