South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-12-24
Country is Opposed to Pun
iShing Commander of Sub
marine Which Sank
the AnC0na.
is WILLING TO GRANT
ALL OTHER REQUESTS
State Department Will Take
No Action on Sinking of
Jay Ship Till Official
Report Arrives.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 24.-Punish-
ment of the submarine commander.
who sank The Ancona is the chief
obstacle now i'm the way Of an adj
iustment of the differences between
this country and Austria. So far as
disavowal and promise of in
demnity are concerned. Austrian
sources here say Austria can yield
and still maintain its prestige at
home But even a reprimand of a
successful officer for carrying out
orders would. at this time. Ambass-
ador Penfield says, have a bad eff
feet.
All information reaching here in
dicates that Austria feels this de-
mand to be one that cannot be
granted in the manner which the
United States desires and that all Of
the conferences now in progress are
devoted TO this particular phase of
the situation.
Although both official and unOf-
fetal advices from Vienna are more
hopeful in tone than heretofore.
Sec'y Lansing considers the situation
very grave The outcome is en-
tirely in the hands of Austria
Either she will agree to the Amer
lean demands or diplomatic relations
will be broken off and Ambassador
Penfield has made this very plain
to the Austrian foreign Office.
Awaits Official Report.
So far as the situation arising
through the torpedoing of the Jap
anese liner Yasaka Maru in the
Mediterranean last Tuesday is con-
cerned, the state department cannot
t~Ee any action until it has an Of
fetal report both as 10 the circum-
stances and the identity of the sub
marine that sank the vessel. AL
though press reports have said that
the submarine flew the German flag
officials here will not be surprised
TO learn that Austria assumes re-
sponsibility.
All consular and diplomatic repre-
lsentatives who are in position 20 Sc
cure details have been ordered to
gather them and TO report TO the
state department If the submarine
was a German and the sinking was
without warning jeopardizing an
American citizen then the United
States will demand a real apology
and the severe punishment of the
German commander. If il was an
Austrian craft the disaster Will sim
ply aggravate further the critical
situation now existing.
Are No Precedents
There are no precedents that fully
cover the present case and it is pos
sible that legislation of some char.
acter must be pushed through con.
gress. There are two cases on
record where American diplomatic
representatives on their own initia-
tive withdrew themselves from the
capitols TO which they were accred-
tied and this government has asked
for the recall of representatives Of
other powers but the precedents
thus existing do not fill the present
case.
The situation is complicated fur
Their because of a definite aggressive
opposition among a group # senate
democrats 10 a break with Austria
under existing conditions. ANY
resolution approving a diplomatic
break would find serious opposition
at present.
LONDON, Dec. ga Loyd's dis
patch from Malta states that the
American steamship Montana has
been detained there by the British
naval authorities.