The Sentinel=record. (Hot Springs, Ark.) 1900-current, 1918-05-05
AUSTRIAN SITUATION
IS AGAIN SERIOUS
PARLIAMENT HAS BEEN DIS
SOLVED BY EMPEROR ON
CONDITIONS
Difficulties in the Way of Securing
Sufficient Food for the Population
has Created Critical Situation
Throughout Austris-5ungary.

Washington, Ma 4.-Press dis
patches from Amsterdam saying that
emperor Charles was about to pro-
rogue the Austrian parliament were
read with deep interest today by Off
Gals here who had expected some
such drastic action since the news
leaked out from Vienna of the stormy
sessions of the reichrath and of the
open defiance of the government by
me elements in opposition. The de-
bates connected with the Brest-Li-
tovsk peace treaty were particularly
ACRIMONIOUS and it appeared that the
government practically had lost its
majority when the Polish delegates.
desperately resisting the secession Of
part OF their provinces to Ukrainia.
Joined with the Czechs and Bohemians
VINO mad long persistently opposed the
government, because of the refusal 10
grant thom national unity.
Inc difficulties in the way of secur-
ing sufficient food for the population.
the only cause given In the Amster-
dam dispatch for the suspension a
the reichsrath have created a critical
soituation throughout Austrfa-iahln-
gary, according to adyices received
mere. In the early spring General
Hoeffer, the Austrian food controller
declared that six hundred million
Pounds of food stuffs would have to be
obtained some where to last until the
next harvest The normal harvest q,
wheat in the dual monarchy has been
reduced from thirteen billion to eight
iIllion pounds through shortage of
fertilizers and the wilful action of the
czech peasants who refused to sow
and harvest grain
Famlne during the winter was said
10 nave been prevented only by the
accession of $50 Car loads of grain
from Rumania, but even this was in
sufficient as was evidenced by food
riots in Prague, Pilson, Brun and VI
ena.
In some of the prison camps of
Austria the death rate from starvation
was reported to have reached forty
day. The separate peace was the
ukraine failed to relieve the situation
on account of the difficulties of trans
portation and the fact that some &C
tive divisions of Czechs-Slovic troops
took along all they could lay hands on
IN the course of their retreat.
The opinion here however. is that
the food situation alone, could not Ius-
lily the government in dissolving par
liament-Czech papers predicted al
month ago that the Viennese govern
ment contemplated a dissolution al
the parliament and a return to the alb
solutism era which prevailed during
the first three years of the war
Ever since the convocation OF the
reichsrath year ago the Slav depu-
ties have shown decided opposition to
the governments policies hamperinG
it in increasing the army and raising
loans
United action. however was lack I
inc and the government was able to
retain a majority in parliament.
Information reaching here now,
however is that Czech, Jugo-Slav |
and Polish deputies have formed a |
compact bloc to oppose the policies |
of the Germanie Austrians. The adj
hesion of the three elements into a |
cohesive group would give them ma
jority and fear of this is believed to be |
the real reason why Emperor Charles
has ordered parliament dissolved.