Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1915-12-17
Takes Umbrage at Note, De clines to Disavow Act, and
 Asks Evidence.
REFUSES TO ADMIT
 LAW WAS VIOLATED
Austria Will Argue She Is Entitled to Clear Statement as to Views of United States on Submarine War-s
 fare, But Will Not Get It.

Washinaton. Dec. 16-The state de- partmcnt tonight awaited the receipt Of the official text of Austrla's reply to the demands of the United States in the Apcona case. 1t was hoped It I. would arrive in time to be decoded and presented to the cabinet to- morrow morning.
 It was admitted by officials of the department that the unofficial text of the reply, as conveyed in press dis patches from Europe, is wholly un-s satisfactory. The position taken by Austria is directly at variance With the position she was expected to take, as outlined in information received during the past few days, by officials of this government.
 Break Not Necessarily Imminent. The best opinion obtanable in of ficial circles regarding the status sOf the relations of the United States and Austria, is that break is nearer now than before, but it is not necessarily imminent. This opinion is influ- enced to considerable extent by the contents of long message received today from Ambassador Penefield at Vienna. It was the only official com munication on the Austrian situation, which has come to the department Tor ttsome time, and is regarded as of the highest importance, because itandi- ] aatcs the tasis on which Austria. asks 1 for further negotiations. Ambassador Penfield said in substance:
 l The manner of the United States in presenting it's case was distasteful sto the Austrian foreign office.
 l Austria Wants Evidence. 1 Austria has two principal lines of argument: First, that she is entitled as an independent nation to clear statement of the views of the state department on submarine warfare, wholly apart from any expression of view given any other government, meaning Germany, and second, that the United States should have accom- panied it's conclusions with the evil dcnce on which they were based.
 Austria intimates she has evidence which will throw a different light on the case.
 The purpose of Austria's request for the evidence, in the opinion of off, iicials here, is to force the United States, if possible, to reveal whether it's conclusions were based in part on information from Great Britain and private statements to Ambassador Page by the Italian foreign office.
 U. s. May Discuss Issues.
 The suggestion by Ambassador Penfield that Austria has evidence sof value is regarded as the most import ant feature of his message. Officials indicated today that if this is true, the United States will discuss the evidence with Austria, but at the same time will make it plain to her that there must be no protracted discus 1 sion. Aa
 As to the position taken by Austria that she is entitled to specific state ment from this government reciting categorically just how her submarine commander violated international law. officials insist that Austria already has been fully notified of the views of the United States in it's notes Ito Germany. Na
 As Secretary Lansing based the representations in his note upon the official statement of the Austrian .ad- miralty itself, American officials are I at loss to understand where there is much room for discussion or dis pute of facts.