South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-12-25
Austria Holds Incident Comes
in Same Category With
LuSitania Case Still
Under Discussion.
INDICATES COMMANDER Was
ACTING UNDER DIRECT ORDERS
Officials Shocked Since u. S.
Gave Its Views on This
Contingency in First
Note.

WASHINGTON. Dec 2f-The
prospect Of a satisfactory settlement
OF the controversy with Austria over
the sinking Of the Ancona was given
& setback today when confidential
information was received in WASH
ington as to the attitude Of the Aus
trian government The possibility
Of a break between the two govern
ments was at once revived.
The communications from Austria
" hich came through diplomatic
channels. pGrport to give also an
outline of the probable reply OF
the Austrian government.
Point 90 Lusitania Case.
According to these advices Aus
tria holds that the AncOna case
comes in the same category es the
Lusitania case, which is still the
subject Of negotiations between the
United States and Germany. The
reason for this. 1T Is stated. is that
Austria has never given instructions
TO the commanders OF her subma-
rines to observe the rules Of recog-
nized international law as the Unit
ed states and Germany both under
stand them at the present time,
which provide that vessels shall not
be torpedoed without full warning
and without provision for the safety
of every person on board.
This has come as a shock 20 OFF,
Gals OF this government, inasmuch
as il indicates that the commander.
IN torpedoing the Ancona without
warning for all passengers and mem
bers Of the crew TO take 10 the
boats was acting under general au-
thority Of his government.
L. :. View I'm First Note.
The United States gave its view
Of such a contingency in its first note
to Austria on the Aacona, when it
said:
The government Of the United
States is forced. therefore. TO con-
clude either that the commander Of
the submarine acted in violation Of
his instructions. or chat the imperial
and royal government failed 10 issue
Instructions 70 the commanders Of
its submarines in accordance with
the laws Of nations and the prin-
ciples OF humanity The government
of the Cn.ted States is unwilling 10
believe the latter alternative and 90
credit the Austro-Hungarian govern
ment with an intention 10 permit is
submarines 10 destroy the lives II
helpless men, women and children.
IL prefers ga believe that the COM
mander of the submarine committed
this outrage without authority and
contrary 20 the general or special
instructions which he had received"
The assumption OF this position
1y Austria, according o. diplomats
acquainted with the Austrian view
point, viii mean that the demand ~
the United States that the act az the
submarine commander he -de-
nOunced' viii ue refused III This
develops they sass. severance ~
diplomatic relations rIll almost cer-
tainly follow. because the demands
Of the United States au Austria we're
much more emphatic than her repre-
sentat.ons 90 amy other government.
on any other incident. since the be-
ginning o. tle war
L. = Must Reccdc to Avoid Break.
The only Hay rupture can he
avoided 20 the opinion OH the same
authorities is Bog The United states
backing down and conseutine 10 en-
ter into NEGOTIATIONS. just as was
done with Germany in the L1s.tarfa
case The general view d. that this
is not likely % occur. because the
state department has repeatedly
Indicated Its irreFoeabIe in4e-ence
that Austria must d.saeow the sinF-
Ing OF the vessel and punish the
commander of the submarine
Iu the Lusitanla case. Inc -rfnri-
pal obstacle % speedy settlement
of the controversv has been the .tt.-
tude OF Germany that b. was inlnos.t.
Ole TO 1-saFow the sinking OF ma
ship for the reason that the com-
mander of the submarine was art.rr
under general instructions which
permitted him 20 destroy the vessel
without regard 90 the safety OF those
on board. The German view in a
word. is that the government cannot
disavow an act which il had author
fvaT