Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1915-11-18
Government Not to Attempt
to Garry On Investigation;
Awaits Penfield Note.
AMERICAN TELLS ALL
DR.. Cecile Greil of New York
Makes Statement Contra
dictory to Austria's.

Washington, D. C., Nov. 1s.-The
United States will not make diplomatic
investigation OF Austria-Hungary for
its attitude on submarine warfare as a
result of the sinking of the Italian
liner Ancona, pending the receipt of
detailed information concerning the
attack from the foreign office at Vienna
through Ambassador Penfield.
State department officials believe,
however, that sufficient information for
an inquiry Is furnished by the Aus
trian foreign office statement concern
ing the tragedy which was cabled to
the department yesterday by Ambassa
dor Penfield
This communication is textually the
same as the Austrian admiralty state
ment already received by Secretary
Lansing.
/ Lansing to Take No Action.
4 Secretary Lansing will take no ac-
ton however, until information of
more definite character regarding the
more essential details is received
Such information is expected by cable
from American consuls and possibly
from the French government, which is
understood to be taking dispositions.
The state department considers that
Mrs. Greil's charge that the submarine
fred on the Ancona after the ship
/ stopped. may be taken as conclusive
evidence. Whether warning was given
still is an open question.
I Was Only American.
J It was pointed out today that be-
cause Mrs. Greil was the only native
American survivor Of the disaster
Imuch weight would attach to her state
ment.
| Consul Mason will attempt TO get
more afidavits from citizens of other
nationalities, preferably from neut-
rails.
[ Secretary Lansing is OF the opinion
! that the right of visit and search can
be carried out by submarine without
actually placing sailors on the deck
of an intercepted ship, and is a meas
/ ure to prove the nationality of ves-
sci. The German government since
the early days OF the war has demon
lstrated that submarine can deter
mine the nationality Of vessel with
out actually placing members of its
crew aboard.
Woman Makes Affidavit.
An affidavit by Dr. Cecile L. Greil OF
New York, the only native American
survivor of the Italian liner Ancona,
directly contradicts the Austro-Hun-
garian governments official statement
that the ship was not shelled by the
attacking submarines after she
stopped The state department today
was notified Of the existence of the
affidavit by consular dispatches.
The text of the message, which was
sent by American Consul Mason of
Algiers, follows:
Cecil intelligent, impartial
witness, deposition not conclusive as
to whether any effort was made to es-
cape by Ancona. First intimation dan
ger when she was in dining saloon.
Disturbance on deck, stoppage, or
blowing Of whistle. followed shortly
by shots which struck vessel. Testi-
mony preusse (probabIy means proves,
that bombardment lasted 45 minutes
and was continued after vessel had
stopped, killing and wounding many
persons. She saw destruction vessel by
torpedo; saw red and white flag and
six cannon on submarine Knows moth
ing as to other Americans. Informa-
ton Algiers and Bizerta considered TO
demonstrate conelusiyely that Is yes
sells were sunk from third TO seventh
/ November by submarines, going from
Gibraltar toward Ancona."