The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-08-02

WAsHiNGToN. Aug. 1.-The corrected
text of the Austro- Hungarian note to
the United States protesting against
the continued trade in wal materials
between the United States n the Allies
was made public here tonight by the
Austro-Hungarian Embassy.
Upon receiving the permission Of the
United States Government the Austro-
Hungarian Government made the note
public in Vienna early in July. but only
portions OF It we're cabled TO the United
states. by an accident a whole page
of the note was lost in transmission
from the American Embassy In Vienna
to Washington. so that the State De-
partment will for. the first time have
before 1t the complete official text when
to-morrow's papers are published. The
missing page is coming by mail but has
not yet been received.
The complete text reveals more clearly
than the press reports from Vienna the
lengths to which the Government OF the
dual monarchy goes in objecting to the
sale of war material to the Allies by
persons in the United States. The note
admits. that the trade is permitted by
law. but declares the spirit OF the law
Is violated by the proportions which this
trade has assumed In the United States.
Asks Embargo on Arms.
II asks. therefore. that the United
States euact Iegislatinp iunnsiny m ann
barge on the shipment OF war materials
to the Allies. II. as is the case. the
United States should consider this an act
OF unneutral character toward the AL
lies, Austria-Hungary suggests that this
objection may Ice overcome by a threat
to Great Britain n her Allies that
unless they permit Germany and Austria
Hungary to import ''foodstuffs and raw
materials" from the United States the
United States will cut off their supply
OF such articles from this country.
This last proposal Is justified by the
Austro-Hungarian Government on the
ground that II would preserve the free
dom of the seas and would also serve
to defeat the criminal attempt OF
Great Britain to starve out Germany
and her allies.
The Austro-Hungarian Government
'''h bAAAf = ~ ~ ~
interests. suffering grave injury from
the trade in war materials. impelled II
TO call the attention of the United States
to a matter which already has been the
occa sion of representations by Germany.
II is assumed here that this refers 10
Ambassador BernstorT's memorandum
delivered in April. to which President
Wilson himself made a most decisive
answer. repudiating the ambassador
J SIlRURgflOnG fnr N RhnnpA ~ tAnlfN,. 80
garding the trade In war materials from
this country.
The Vienna Government admits that
in ordinary circumstances Article VII.
Of the fifth Hague convention. second
conference. permits a neutral to sell
arms to a belllgerent Power. This
article is as follows:
"A neutral Power liz not called upon
to prevent the export or transport on
behalf Of one OF the other belligerents
of arms, munitions OF war. or. in gen.
eral. of anything which can be Of use
to an army or a fleet"
The situation in the present wal tran
sends, however, according to Austria
Hungary. the circumstances which this
article was designed to cover. The ar
ticle was intended. IL Is represented. 10
protect merely the normal industry OF
a neutral In such materials. Its spirit
is violated. Vienna asserts, by the ex-
pansion Of the normal industry espe-
cially for the purpose Of supplying such
materials to a belligerent.
A change in the attitude of the United
States toward this trade is justified
by the Hague conventions, It Is said,
The preamble Of the convention OF 1907
relating to the rights and duties OF neu-
trails in naval warfare Is cited by the
Vienna note as proof of this assertion.
The preamble is az follows
These rules should not. in prin-
ciple, be altered In the course OF ths
war by n neutral Power except in a
case where experience has shown the
necessity for such hange for the pro-
lection of the rights Of the Power"
1t has not been decided whether a
reply to the Austro-Hungarian note will
be sent or not. The decision Is waiting
on the receipt OF the missing page Of the
document. II a reply is made, however
IL is certain that IL will be along the
lines already made familiar to all con.
cerned in the Stone letter and the
Presidents note to the German Ambas.
sador.