garding question of food, we can only avoid collapse on two
conditions: first, that Germany helps us temporarily, second, that
we use this respite to set in order our machinery of food supply,
which is at present beneath contempt, and to gain possession of
the stocks still existing in Hungary.

"'I have just explained the entire situation to Dr. Kuehlmann, and
he is telegraphing to Berlin. He, however, is not at all sanguine,
as Germany is itself in straitened circumstances. I think the only
way to secure any success from this step would be for Your Majesty
to send at once, through military means, a Hughes telegram to
Kaiser Wilhelm direct, urgently entreating him to intervene
himself, and by securing us a supply of grain prevent the outbreak
of revolution, which would otherwise be inevitable. I must,
however, emphatically point out that the commencement of unrest
among our people at home will have rendered conclusion of peace
here absolutely impossible. As soon as the Russian representatives
perceive that we ourselves are on the point of revolution, they
will not make peace at all, since their entire speculation is
based on this factor.'

"_January 17, 1918._--Bad news from Vienna and environs: serious
strike movement, due to the reduction of the flour rations and the
tardy progress of the Brest negotiations. The weakness of the Vienna
Ministry seems to be past all understanding.

"I have telegraphed to Vienna that I hope in time to secure some
supplies from the Ukraine, if only we can manage to keep matters quiet
at home for the next few weeks, and I have begged the gentlemen in
question to do their utmost not to wreck the peace here. On the same
day, in the evening, I telegraphed to Dr. von Seidler, the Prime
Minister:

"'I very greatly regret my inability to counteract the effect of
all the errors made by those entrusted with the food resources.

"'Germany declares categorically that it is unable to help us,
having insufficient for itself.

"'Had your Excellency or your department called attention to the
state of things _in time_, it might still have been possible to
procure supplies from Roumania. As things are now, I can see no
other way than that of brute force, by requisitioning Hungarian
grain for the time being, and forwarding it to Austria, until the
Roumanian, and it is to be hoped also Ukrainian, supplies can come
to hand.'

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