New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-11-16
ATROCITY DONE,
ROME TELLS u. S.
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vivors. are in the hands of the Italian
officials, and if they did not feel tha,
these stories were sufficiently coherent,
or sufficiently strong, they could
easily withhold them from the Amer'-
can Investigators, while trying to hr
them together
State Department officials are increas-
ingly inclined to believe that this Ia
the case, and 10 draw the inference
that the actual facts are far less In
eliminating 10 the submarines ON
GERS. and therefore far less likely
to force this country into crisis wlth
Austria, than had been feared.
The weakness from q legal point CT
view of the Italian statement is also
commented on. u is pointed out that
only fiat assertions are made, and that
there is no reference even to the source
of the information on which the
charges are based. The Italian govern
ment lends its own weight 20 the
charges Of illegality and inhumanity,
but does not attempt 10 substantlate
the indictment. There is a strong feel
ING here that if the evidence were sat
isfactory some hint of II, at least,
would he given.
The Italian statement follows:
"The government OF the united
States is doubtless aware Of the par
ticulars reported by the press in con-
rection with the outrage perpetrated
by the enemy upon Italian shipping on
November 7.
more than once the destruction OF
Italian merchantmen had taken place
under circumstances which permitted
no other explanation than that there
was behind the procedure a ruthless
purpose to use british force against
private property of innocent persons.
Non-combatant passengers and crews
already have been the victims q these
methods, but never has there been an
instance of such unparalleled atroclty
as In the case OF the sinking or the
Ancona. The unsrmed liner, en- route
to New York, was steaming westward
between the coasts OF Sardinia and
Tunis. carrying passengers and cargo
destined for America.
ut was out of the question that the
vessel could have been suspected Of
carrying arms or contraband or persons
in the service Of any Of tie belligerents.
I'm fact. none of the circumstances al
legged In other cases In an attempt TO
Justify actions described by their au-
thors as necessity OF war or as
reprisal were present in the case OF
the Ancona.
There are principles that no state
ought TO disregard and no private IN
dividual could violate with impunlty.
Respect for the lives of persons In no
way participants in war IS among
these fundamental rules OF humanity
and international law. This ru lie Inn
poses upon belligerents the strict OBJ
legation TO do all in their power In
every circum stance TO protect the lives
OF such passengers.
without any warning whatsoever
without even a blank shot, without OBJ
serving any of the formalities accom-
panying the right Of search, the sub
marine encountered by the Ancona in
the aforementioned circumstances
opened fire on the unarmed passenger
liner, ruthlessly Smelling not only the
wireless apparatus, sides and decks Of
the ship while she was at a stop, but
even the lifeboats in which the terror
lied passengers were seeking refuge.
Many Of the passengers we're killed out
right or wounded. Some who APP
preached the submarine In the hope OF
rescue were driven off with jeers. As
a result of this inhuman procedure
more than 200 men, women and chill
dren lost their lives.
THE royal government regards ~
as duty TO denounce solemnly 70 all
nations the circumstances described
above. Their sentiments of justice and
humanity will cause them without
doubt to judge as 1t deserves the con-
duct of an enemy which Is obviously
contrary to the dictates of civilization
and the recognized principles Of inter
national law"