The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-11-15
Reports to the
 Press Cause Uneasiness at Washington
,ECRETARY LANSING
 IS SILENT ON AFFAIR
.ustrians Disclaiming All Responsi- bility--Italians, in Note, Claim Butchery of Survivors
 in Lifeboats

Washington, November 14.-Conflicting |rports in the press today concerning the hiking of the Italian liner Ancona |tused uneasiness among high officials of he United States government. This was Ftensified through failure to receive off |al information from either Ambassador !age at Rome or Ambassador Penfieid at Ienna
 Secretary Lansing read without conn ent dispatches purporting to give the ews of the Italian and Austrian govern ents, the former claiming the Ancona as torpedoed by German submarine hile her boats were being lowered, and e latter admitting that an Austrian sub arine was responsible, but declaring ann escape.
 Want Definite Information
 Until the embassies at Rome and Vien-
 cable definite information the Ameri- n government can take no steps diplo- atically. From the Austrian statement
 quoted in the press dispatches, off als thought the case might develop .rallel to that of the British steamer llaba, torpedoed by German submarine Eth the loss of Leon c. Threshser, an merican citizen. In that case, the vessel Rs warned, but was torpedoed when the erman submarine commander believed e ship had summoned help by wireless
 was attempting to escape. A settle ent never was reached on account of. e conflicting testimony.
 The Austrian statement with reference
 the Ancona makes it appear that the ssel when she was halted did not put T passengers off in the boats in the 45 Enutes' time given for that purpose. he appearance of another ship is given
 the reason for torpedoing the vessel
 the end of that period. Although the hited States has insisted that vessels irving noncombatants cannot be sunk thout warning, no Lease has as yet do nment as to what time is considered aple time for the purpose beyond the neral statement that all passengers ould be removed to place of safety,
 provided in the declaration of London.
 Charge Crew Was Negligent The charge made by the Austrian au- orities that the crew of the Ancona hs negligent and that the passengers ght have been saved but for the panic. $ introduced new phase into the bHarine controversy.
 Officials are so completely in the dark, wever, as to the facts, that they would t hazard tonight any predictions as to neither or not the case would become an Eernational incident of grave impor- hoe.
 Assumption of responsibility by the lstrian government would lead, it is be- wed, to an exchange of views between D Vienna and Washington governments alive to submarine operations that nericans might be safeguarded in the lure and responsibility fixed for the Pses sustained in the Ancona tragedy Rome, November 13.-(via Paris, Mo- mber 14.)-So far as Thomas Nelson Ege. the American ambassador, has been le to ascertain from official reports re- [ved through the Italian government, a from the British consuls at Bfzerta d Tunis, the following American citi- ns were on the Ancona:
 pr. Cccile l.. Greil Alexander Paitvavo q his wife and four children; Mrs. ancesco Malasco Lamaura, Pasquale urino and Giuseppe Torrisi and hls fe. or these only Mrs. Greii and Tor ii are among the survivors.