“The tiniest hamlet is a metropolis compared with Vienna today. Vienna has become a huge village with a million and a half inhabitants, and if we don’t let the Jews in now we’ll soon see country fair booths in the Kärtnerstrasse instead of exclusive shops, and live stock markets being conducted on the Stephansplatz. This retrogression, against which they are powerless to do anything, has brought profound despair into the hearts of the citizens of Vienna. By deserting the Christian-Socialist party the Viennese women and girls have not been the last to indicate that they want to have again a flourishing, gay Vienna, a city of luxurious life, even though it may have a slight Oriental tinge.” Herr Habietnik’s further remarks were lost in an odd restlessness that was spreading over the house. What had happened? The Right had at last discovered that Deputy Krötzl was absent, and the Christian-Socialists and Pan-Germans were in a panic. They did not even listen to their own speaker, but sent out ushers with automobiles to fetch Krötzl from his downtown office or from his house in the Billrothstrasse. The situation might have been saved if someone had had the presence of mind to prompt the minority speaker to continue his speech for hours, until Krötzl should put in his appearance. But they had lost their heads entirely; the Christian-Socialist speaker, Herr Wurm, even curtailed his speech when he noticed the disturbance and saw his colleagues going out. And in a few minutes a Citizens’ motion to close the debate and set a five minute limit for all further speeches was passed by the required two-thirds majority. In vain did the surprised anti-Semites make a loud outcry; the Socialist Presiding Officer ruled with an iron hand, and permitted none of the previously announced speakers to talk for more than five minutes. Laboring under terrific tension, and greatly agitated, the deputies poured back into the hall in order to be present at the forth-coming roll-call. Herr Krötzl had not yet arrived; the ushers could report only that he had not been in his office at all, and had left his home in the morning in a noticeably flushed state, accompanied by another gentleman. A Pan-German made the last attempt to save the day. Requesting and being given the floor to speak on standing orders, he said: “Deputy Krötzl is not present, and we have indications that he is being detained by force; indeed, we have cause to fear that he is the victim of foul play. This being the case, the House cannot possibly vote on a law that will determine the fate of our country. If the new majority of this House possesses the slightest sense of decency it will agree with me that we must immediately adjourn for two hours. During that time we shall probably learn whether our esteemed colleague, Deputy Krötzl, is still among the living.” The import of these words could not be ignored. They were followed by a dead silence.