The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1915-12-17
AUSTRIA REPORTED
TOHAvE REFUSED
OUR DEMANDS
Defiance Appears in Unofficial
Digest of Note
A
VIENNA EXPECTS OPEN BREACH
Washington Insists on U. S. Attitude
In Settlement of Ancona
Case.
VIENNA EXPECTS OPEN BREACH

~ - dSuillSJOlt dec. 10 ne OHiIeu
States will regard Austria.Hungary'
reply TO the American note regarding
the Ancona as being entirely unsatis-
| factory and unacceptable should the
official text, which tonight was mo
mentarily expected be identical with
the unofficial version received in
press spatches from Amsterdam
and London.
The United States is descr' I'd as
being prepared to insist that Austria
Hungary promptly comply with the
demands for disavowal, punishment
OF the submarine commander and
reparation by payment OF indemnity
for the Americans killed or injured in
the destruction of the italian linz,
making il clear that failure win mean
immediate breaking off OF relations.
This step would not be taken by
the United States, however, 1t was
pubilOi CtaiNd iOhiSHis W lN4l-
out one more communication being
dispatched to Austria-Hungary. al
though Austria-Hungary apparently is
determined not TO submit to Wash.
ington's demands.
The unofficial version as sent to
this country by way of London is
manifestly incomplete and not wholly
to be relied on but II is not question
ed that 1t shows the tenor Of the Aus.
trian reply. 1t is in part as follows
From the sharpness with which
the government OF the United States
believed ii ought to censure the
commander of the submarine and
form the firmness with which the
demands addressed to the Austro-
Hungarian government appear to
have been brought forward, 1t could
be expected that the American gov
ernment would clearly give the ac-
tual circumstances upon which it re-
lies.
AS can be easily recognized the
representation of the circumstances
contained in the note allows nu-
merous doubts and gives not at all
sufficient reasons for blaming the
submarine commander and the Aus
tro-Hungarian government, even if |
the representation proves correct in |
all points and Judgment in the case is |
based on the mcst rigorous legal inter |
probation.
The American government also
omitted TO indicate the persons to |
whose statements it refers and to |
whom 1t apparently believes it must |
attribute a higher degree OF trust |
worthiness than to n commander OF |
the imperial royal navy.
As to the number, names and the |
details concerning the fate OF the |
American citizens who, in the criti-
cal moments, were aboard the above
mentioned steamer, the note does
not give any explanation.
But in view OF the fact that the
Washington cabinet now has given |
a positive declaration that at the
aforementioned incident subjects |
of the United States came to grief,
the stro7Hungarian government !
in principle is prepared to enter into
an exchange with the American gov
ernment.
The American government also
thought it advisable to point out the |
attitude which the Berlin cabinet |
to the aforementioned exchange of
correspondence had taken. In theJ
highly esteemed note the Austro-
Hungarian government finds no sup
port for this course.
If the American government should |
have intended thereby to express an |
opinion as if precedent exists for
the present case, the -Hungar-
ian government, in order to prevent !
misunderstandings must declare that |
1t, of course must preserve full liber- |
ty to urge its own legal interpreta- |
tions during the discussion Of the An.
coma case.