The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-12-22
.AUSIR|A'S
ADMISSIONS
CLAIM BASIS
--=---------
That is the Burden of the
Second Note Ionithe An
coma Incident. Z !
DEMANDS REITERATED
This Government Has NO
Other Course in View Of !,
all the Circumstances. a

WASHINGTON, Dec. t22-The reply
of the United States to Austria's note
on the destruction o lfthel italian Liner
Ancona declares that the Official adj
mission Of the Austrian admiralty
that the liner was torped doed after she
had stopped and while passengers
still were aboard, alone is Bufficient
for the American demand for disa.
yowal, sreparation and ipunishment Of
the submarine commander.
Secretary lansing second note a.
ready probably in the hands OF thu
Austrian foreign minister and mada
public here today, renews the do.
mands of the United States and says
the details to which Austria referred
her reply to the first American COM
munication, are In no way essential
to the discussion. Itiemphasixes thai
continuance OF good relations between
the two countries depends upon the
action Of the Austrian government.
The full text Of the note which Is ad-
dressed to American Ambassador
Penfeld follows:
"The Government OF the United
States has received the note Of Your
Excellency relative 10 the sinking or
the Ancona, which was delivered at
Vienna on December is, 1915, an6
transmitted to Washington, and has
given the note Immediate and careful
Consideration.
! "on November is, 1915 Baron
Zwiedinek the charge 'affaires OF the
Imperial aand Royal government at
Washington, transmitted 10 the De.
partment Of State q report Of the
Austro. Hungarian Admiralty with re-
gard to the sinking Of the Steamship
Ancona, in which twas admitted that
the vessel was torpedoed after her
engines had been stopped and when
passengers were still on board. This
admission alone is iin the view of the
government OF the United States suf.
ficieht to fix upon the commander Of the
submarine which fred the torpedo
the responsibility for having wilfully
violated the recognized law OF nations
and entirely disregarded those liu.
name principles which every belliger'
ent should observe In the conduct Of
war at sea. Insview OF these admit.
ted circumstances the government oil
tho United States! feels justified In
holding that the details Of the sink
ing OF the Ancona, the weight and
character OF the additional testimon,
corroborating the kdmiralty's repori
and the number OF Americans KILLED
or injured are $inSno way essential
matters OF discussion. The cuipabil
{f,, - tI,o ~, =, a,. te A., ,,,y ~. 81
established, and the undisputed fac,
is that citizens Of the United States
were killed injured, or put in ico
pardy by his lawless act.
.The rules OF international law aud
the principles Of humanity which
were husiwilfully!yi violated by the com
mander OF the submarine have beer
so universally recognized and are SC
manifest from the lstandpoint Of right
and justice, that The government OF
the United States does not feel called
upon to debate them and does not iin.
derstand that the imperial and royal
government questions or disputes
them. .isi n
t,The Government Of the United
States therefore finds no other course
open to 1T but 10 hold the impartial
and royal government responsible for
the act Of its naval Commander ana
to renew the definite but respectful
demands made in Its Communication
Of the 9th of December. 1915. 1t sim
cerelyy hopes that the foregoing state
ment of It's position viii enable the
imperial and royal government to
perceive the Justice of those demands