The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-06-13
Growing Seriousness of Food
and Political Situation.
Germany's Promises Have Not
Been Fulfilled There.
ENTERTAIN NO HOPE OF PEACE
Kaiser viii Not Listen to a
Democratic Settlement.
Reichsrath Afraid To Convene
Food Scarce and High.

tNoTE-Advices from Austria, received
thru Rome yesterday, stated that prac-
tically all Of the dual monarchy has been
declared in a state OF siege, only a rev
ditions which have led up to this signifi-
cant situation. set forth in the words of an
Austrian newspaper man, are described In
the following dispatch.1
BY JOSEPH SHAPLEN.
Stockholm, June 13.-The growing
seriousness of the food and political
situation in Austria Hungary was re-
vealed to me today by an Austrian
newspaperman, the staff correspond
emit of the Vienna Arbeiter zeitung.
THE situation in Austria Hungary
is again very serious he said. The
food situation is always worse than
1t is in Germany. The Austrian gov
eminent under, pressure of the Janu-
airy strikes, gave the workmen many
food promises. None of these was full
filled. They were given expectation of
food from Ukraine, which, in view of
the increasing revolts against the CEN
trail empires and Skoropadsky, is no
more than probe hatical. Germany is
relying so little On this that she has
reduced the daily bread ration from
zoo to 100 grams (half an ounce).
Flour $1.4O Pound.
The price of flour in Austria Is now
IA francs a kilogram (about s1.40 a
pound.) Butter is 40 francs a kilo-
gram (about 81 a pound). Vienna
population is not getting even 35 per
cent of its normal rations. The mayor
recently demanded that the govern
ment act Immediately to prevent the
most serious consequences.
The political situation is likewise
nriti0aI a ~ 1P
Emperor Karrs letters. The meeting
of the reicnsrath (congress) has been
postponed Indefinitely. The movement
of the Serbians, Croats and Slovaks for
secession from Austria and unifica ton
in single Serb nation is growing
rapidly.
No Hope OF Peace.
Recently there was a severe bat
tie between the Germans and the Slo-
walks in Vindish Gratz. These are the
most serious disturbances at Laibach.
The Bohemians are demanding COM
plete independence. The Austrian
Socialists are talking in strong Ian
guage, but there is no hope of peace.
Germany refuses to listen to a demo-
cratic peace
THE reichsrath is strangled with
fear because of the demands of the
people for strong action against war
profiteers, the Agrarians Gland hold
cfSJ anu the capitalists ana q 1alr Qi-
vision of the coming harvest. But
above all, the reichsrath fears it's own
debates on war, peace and political
events and the connection between
the letter from the emperor to Prince
Sixtus with the retirement of For
eign Minister Czernin.
1T is only with the shadows of re-
form that the government seeks to
conciliate the starving and suffering
population of Bohemia. Simultane-
ouSly, however, new repressive meas
ures have been introduced in the
sion to the German nationalists. The
tons and policy of the pan-German-
lists, who demand conviction of the
war.
In Clutches of Germany.
Austria is again in the clutches OF
Germany, due in no small measure to
the traitorous attitude of the follow
ers Of Philip Scheidemann Oeader OF
the German majority socialists) who
refuse to support the revolutionary
movement In Austria.
Likewise the demagogic reckless
ness of the Bolsheviki, who concluded
a separate peace at the moment of the
greatest upheaval in Austria, strength
ened Austro German imperialism and
surrendered the democratic elements
into the hands of the military camar-
lila.
THE situation is not bright, but the
desperation of the population is SO
great that the most serious conse-
quences can be expected"