The Tomahawk. [volume] (White Earth, Becker County, Minn.) 1903-192?, 1915-12-30
u. s. HOLDS AUSTRIA RESPONSIBLE
FOR SUBMARINE COMMANDERS
Unsatisfactory
Austrian Note

Washington, Dec. 21.-The text of
Austria's reply to the American note
on the sinking of the Italian liner
Ancona, as made public by the state
department, follows:
American Embassy, Vienna.
Secretary of State, Washington:
Following note received from Min
lister of Foreign Affairs:
In reply to the much esteemed note
number 4,167 which His Excellency,
Mr. Frederick CORTLAND Penfield, am
bassador extraordinary and rlenipo-
tertiary of the United States OF Amer
lea, directed to him in the name OF
the American government under date
of the ninth instant in the matter
Of the sinking Of the Italian steamer
Ancona, the undersigned, prel1mln-
airy to a thorough, meritorious treat
ment of the demand, has the honor
to observe that the sharpness with
which the government Of the United
States considers it necessary to
blame the commanding officer Of the
submarine concerned in the affair and
the firmness in which the demands
addressed to the Imperial and Royal
government appear to be expressed,
might we'll have warranted the ex-
pectation that the government OF the
United States should precisely speci-
fy the actual circumstances of the at.
fair upon which it bases it's case.
Room for Many Doubts.
AS is not difficult to perceive, the
presentation of the facts in the case
in the aforesaid note leaves room for
many doubts and even if this presen-
tation were correct in all points and
the most rigorous legal conception
were applied to the judgment of the
case it does not in any way sutfi'
GENTLY warrant attaching blame to
the commanding officer Of the war
vessel or to the Imperial and Royal
government.
The government Of the United
States has also failed to designate
the persons upon whose testimony it
relies and to whom it apparently be-
lieves it may attribute a higher de-
gree of credibility than to the CON-
mander of the Imperial and Royal
fleet. The note also fails to give any
number, names, and more precise
fate of the American citizens who
were on board the said steamer at the
critical moment.
Ready to Exchange Views.
However, in view of the fact that
the Washington cabinet has now
f4sade alpositiye statement to the ef-
feet that citizens Of the United States
OF America came to grief in the i'll
cident in question, the Imperial and
Royal government is in principle
ready to enter into an exchange of
views in the affair with the govern
ment of the United States.
DepIores Fate of Victims.
In having the honor to have recourse
to the kindness of His Excellency the
Ambassador of the United States OF
America with the most respectful re-
quest to be good enough to communi-
cate the foregoing to the American
government and on this occasion to
state that the Imperial and Royal
government, in no less degree than
the American government and under
all circumstances, most sincerely de-
plores the fate of the innocent victims
of the incident in question, the I'M
dersigned at the same time avails HIM
self of this opportunity to renew the
expression of his most distinguished
consideration to his excellency, the
ambassador.
(Signed) BURIAN.