In Vienna's National Assembly Hall, formerly City Hall, a man dressed as a lawyer rose to his feet and declared loudly, "No, the government's financial funds belong to all Austrians. We have no right to use them!"
Steffens, his face covered in wounds, added, "Even if that money is to be used, it must at least be approved by a vote in Parliament."
A week earlier, he had been rescued from the Secret Police prison in the East End and had soon joined the Parliamentary Preparatory Committee.
Hirt said quietly, "In fact, the gold coins in the Court Treasury Warehouse should also be sealed away first... Robbery is a crime at any time." Lucas shot him a cold glance.
Without the 1.2 million Florins in gold from the Schönbrunn Palace Warehouse, the Provisional National Government would now have to declare bankruptcy. It was precisely this money that had funded the Constitutional Committee and the Parliamentary Preparatory Committee, as well as paid compensation to the dead and wounded of the Student Army.
Of course, the lion's share had gone toward Vienna's bread subsidies. At present, the National Government had taken over every bakery in the city, with the government bearing the operating losses as well.
Lucas walked to the wooden platform at the front of the hall, his expression grave. "If we don't confiscate the tax money in City Bank, we may not even live to see Parliament come into being!"
The focus of the discussion now was how to deal with the 3 million Florins in the former Austrian Government's treasury—most of it collected through taxes and currently deposited in Vienna's City Bank.
The Radicals, represented by Lucas and the Student Army leaders, believed it should be confiscated immediately, while Hirt and several nobles fiercely opposed it. Yes, if they