WORKING-CLASS STUDENTS IN VIENNA
[To the Editor of THE SPECTATOR.] SIR,—As a result of the political upheaval in Austria of Feb. ruary last, more than two hundred university students from working-class families find themselves in a position of acute distress. There existed in Vienna, up to last February, a very extensive organization toeenable really able sons of working-class parents from the -provinces to obtain a univer- sity education. The urgent need for such a social service is shown by the fact that at present only 11 per cent. of the Austrian students are drawn from the working-classes. The organization included scholarship funds and two large student- hostels, and was financed partly by the City Council and partly by the Trade Unions and CO-operative Societies.
In February last this support suddenly ceased. Such funds as the organizing bodies could raise have since been inevitably devoted to meeting the needs of those who were in the direst need—widows and orphans. What, then, is the future which faces the two hundred working-class students whose studies had already been begun, but who find them- selves robbed of the :uvoit on which they were depending ? They are too poor to pay for continuing their studies- them- selves ; many of them are sons of men who have been unem- ployed for six or seven years. If they are unable to finish their studies, the whole of their past training will go by the hoard, and they must go to-swell the unemployed population of Austria.
If, on the other hand, they can be enabled to complete them, they have very good chances of getting posts in the provinces, where, far more than in Vienna, the professional classes have an important contribution to make to the development of their country. Accordinglx, they are appealing—and their appeal is backed not only by the Austrian Government, but also by a committee of Austrians of all political and con- fessional views—to the outside world, and particularly to their English friends, who have so often helped Austria in her hour of need. The appeal is being made through the Inter- national Student Service, which has keenly interested itself in this work, and on behalf of which we write.
Here are the facts. Sixty students have been chosen out of the two hundred as most urgently in need of help ; they are all men whose studies are well advanced, and all terribly poor. £24 will give one student board and lodging for a year. We appeal for support to all your readers who believe that working-class students should not be made to suffer for political upheavals in which they have played no part what- ever. We appeal for money to enable these sixty students to complete an education which is three-quarters finished, and which, if it can be finished, will enable them to go out into the provinces and play an active and useful part in the future development of Austria ; and we urge, in support of our appeal, the fact that, far from being unfavourably regarded, it is definitely encouraged by the Austrian Government.
• Contributions should be sent to us at the following address : c/co I.S.S., 3 Endsleigh Street, London, W.C.1.—We are, Sir, &c., ERNEST BARKER, Chairman of International Student Service. EDWARD BRADBY, Secretary.
Previous page
