Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1915-12-18
AMERICAS FINAL
NOTE TO AUSTRIA
TOENDQU|BBL|NG
Lansing Uses Vigorous Lang
uage In Repeating United
States Demands
REPLY WILL START FOR
VIENNA BEFORE NIGHT
Some Information As To
|, Lusitania Case Given--But
Reply Is UItimatuln

Washington, Dec. 1S.-Having prac-
tically completed a rejoinder that is
said to be almost an abrupt dismissal
of Austria Is arguments, Secretary of
State Lansing this afternoon made
public the Austrian answer to Ameri-
cas- original demands in the Ancona
torpedoing case.
The most significant features of the
Austrian reply is an insistence upon
discussion of tAe evidence and princi-
Piles involved in the American de-
mands.
Foreign Minister Burian commented
on the sharpness of the original
note but held Austria was entitled to a
show down of Americas facts. As to
the Austrian commander who sank the
Ancona, the Vienna foreign office held
that the note "does not in any way
sufficiently warrant attaching bamer
to him, even if American contentious
are correct and "most rigorous legal
conception" were applied to Judgment
Of the case:
The note neld Austria not to be fully
informed as to the communications be
tween America and Germany in their
submarine controversy.
IL suggested further parley.
This the American government does
not want and will not permit,
Austria held that she oughe to Jepeet
precise specifications as to the eircum-
stances on which the United States
based its contentious. In the original
American note said Austria was "room
for doubt. " The United States failed
tn Of Il
lied for its evidence, "and to w1om il
apparently believes it may attribute a
higher degree of credibility tnan to
the commander Of the Imperial and
Royal fleet.
Further, America gave no names OF
persons who lost their lives.
But, said Burian, Gin view of the
fact that the Washington cabinet has
now made a positive statement" con
corning loss Of lives, Austria "s in
principle ready to enter into an ex-
change Of views in the affair"
In what some regarded as rather curt
language, Austria however reserved the
right to maintain its own legal views
in discussion Of the case, and queried
as TO why America referred to the
German American submarine cOntrO-
versy settlement, particularly as Aus
tria "by no means possesses knowledge
of all the pertinent correspondence in
tnat situation. At the same time, Aus
tria held the eases did not parallel.
There. ore, continued Burian, Austria
"leaves il to the Washington cabinet
to formulate the particular points Of
law which the submarine commander
offended. "
Lansing also gave ont the Austrian
admiralty Is official report on the An
coma case, saying the vessel tried to
escape and declaring that "foreign re-
ports that a submarine fired on the life
boats are mendacious inventions and
that when the steamer stopped the
submarine ceased firing"
For their death, she expresses regret.
She reserves the right to place her
own judicial interpretations and asks
Washington to formulate the actual
circumstances on which America bases
It's ease.
She claims not TO know fully Of the
German American submarine cOntro-
versy, and holds the cases therein arc
not parallel.