The Austro-Hungarian Empire was at that time facing a dozen different
crises, all aggravated by the problem of food. Even the racial
animosities, always threatening to overturn the unstable rule of the
German and Magyar minority over the Slavic majority, was inflamed into
bitterness by sectional jealousies over food distribution. These crises
reached a culmination in the decision of the Government to prorogue
Parliament.
What straits the empire had reached were partially revealed by the
Premier's speech to the party leaders, and also by the German official
statement that all food supplies from the Ukraine during the month of
May would be given to Austria-Hungary, on account of its greater need.
Still more significant was Dr. von Seidler's admission, made public
on May 4, that Austria was unable to feed the populations of North
Tyrol and Northern Bohemia, and that he had, therefore, consented that
the former be attached for provisioning purposes to Bavaria, and the
latter to Saxony. This concession, the dispatch added, had been wrung
from him by leaders of the German parties after a conference lasting
six hours. It meant that for food supply purposes these portions of
Austria were being annexed to Germany. The Austrian Government yielded
with the greatest reluctance, realizing that the political consequences
might be far-reaching. It was pointed out that this would accentuate
the feud between the German and non-German races in Austria-Hungary,
since the provinces affected are German-speaking, and would strengthen
the agitation for the incorporation of Austria into a German federation.
The meeting of the German and Austrian Emperors at the German Great
Headquarters on May 12 did not tend to allay fears of this nature.
Though the results of the meeting remained secret, the belief
was expressed in many quarters that it had constituted a formal
acknowledgment of the subservient relations of Austria-Hungary toward
the German Empire.