South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-09-08
Austrian Ambassador Instead
of Explaining" His Fa-
nous Letter JuStifieS
His Action.
INVESTIGATION ORDERED
BY HOME GOVERN MEN I
Complete Text of Archibald
Letter is CabIed and
Will be Presented to
PreS't Wilson.

WASHINGTON, Sept S.-Relations
between Austria and the United States
today are in grave danger Of becoming
severely strained as the result of the
attitude assumed by DR.. COnstantin
Dumba, the Austro- Hungarian am
bassadOr Instead of explaining" his
now famous letter to the Austrian
foreign minister. carried by war cor
respondent Archibald, Dr.. Dumba JUS
titled his action.
He took the position in his confer
ence with Sec'y Lansing that he was
we'll within his rights in everything he
did. AS a result, the administration is
in a dilemma as to what action to
take. If it accepts the statement or
DR.. Dumba, and believes that by his
action he has violated diplomatic
ethics. it must ask Vienna to disavow
those actions.
The matter has been referred by
Secy Lansing to Pres't Wilson. So
far as this government is concerned
every move made in the matter up to
the present has been at DR.. Dumba's s
request He asked for the audience
with Sec'y Lansing.
1t was granted on the assumption
that he intended to make an eXplana-
ton. Instead, to the great surprise
of the secretary. he defended all Of
his acts and insisted that this govern
ment has no reason to concern itself
with him.
The letter taken from Archibald by
the British authorities was report
that the ambassador was making an
Investigation ordered by his home
government, he said Ard the steps
he suggested were TO benefit the con-
ditions of Austrian nationals, not OF
citizens of the United States.
Dumba is understood to have told
Sec'y Lansing that the Austro-Hun-
garian citizens employed in the steel
industry of the United States were
held in virtual slavery and that he
owed a duty to them to try and i'm
prove their condition. He insisted thar
he personally was Indifferent as to
whether this government asked for
his recall or not, as if he had not done
just what he did he might as well not
be here"
The complete text of the Archibald
letter has been cabled here by AM
bassador Page and will be submitted
to PreS't Wilson along with the report
of Sec'y Lansing. Meanwhile. it is
expected that Ambassador Penfeld at
Vienna will make quiet inquiries to
determine in what light Austria looks
on the entire matter
The fact that this letter admitting
a general plan TO tie up munition fac
tories in the United States was writ
Ten long after this government Went
on record as refusing, at Austria's re-
quest. 10 stop munition expectations.
adds to the gravity OF the entire mat
ter and il was said today that the
president might make the question or
just what action shall be taken the
of a cabinet conference. For
the present. it is understood, the
question of action will be held open.
Correspondent Archibald. it is
said. will return to this country imme-
diately 10 "show cause" why his pass
ports should not be revoked.
Ambassador Dumba at the Austro-
Hungarian embassy here today re-
fused to answer any questions con-
cerning his conference with Sec'y
Lansing. He said he would not make
any statement on the matter now or
at any other time. He expects TO con-
fer with the secretary of labor today
immigration matters after
which he will return to New York.