The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-12-18
kUSTRIA'S OWN WORDS


(Continued from Page One.l
and even if this presentation were
correct in all points and the most
rigorous legal conceptions were
applied to the judgment of the
case, it does not in any way Suf-
ficiently warrant attaching blame
to the commanding officer of the
war vessel or to the imperial and
royal government.
The, government of the United
States has also failed to designate
the persons upon whose testimony
it relies and to whom it appar-
emily believed it may attribute a
higher degree of credibility than
to the commander of the imperial
and rolay fleet. The note also
fails to give any information
whatever as to the number,
names, and more precise fate of
the American citizens who were
on board of the said steamer at
the critical moment.
However, in view of the fact
that the Washington cabinet has
now made a positive statement to
the effect that citizens of the
United States of America came to
grief in the incident in question,
the imperial and royal govern
ment is in principle ready to en-
ter into an exchange of views in
the affair with the government of
the United States.
1t must, however, in the first
place, raise the question why that
government failed to give judi
ciaI reasons for the demands set
forth in its note with reference to
the special circumstances of the
discriminating events upon which
it itself lays stress and why in lieu
thereof it referred an exchange of
i IL, l.
Quoted with another government
in other cases.
The imperial and royal govern
ment is the less able to follow the
Washington cabinet on this un-
usual path, since it by no means
possesses an authentic knowledge
of all the pertinent correspond
ence of the government of the
United States, nor is it of the
opinion that such knowledge
might be Sufficient for it in the
present case, which, insofar as it
is informed, is in essential points
of another nature than the case or
cases to which the government of
the United States seems to allude.
The imperial and royal govern
ment may therefore leave it to the
Washington cabinet to formulate
the particular points of law
against which the command
ing officer of the submarine is al
legged to have offended on the oc-
casion of the sinking of the An
coma
The government of the United
States has also seen fit to refer
to the attitude which the Berlin
cabinet assumed in the above
mentioned correspondence. The
imperial and royal government
finds in the much esteemed note
no indication whatever of thei n
tent with which this reference
was made. Should, however, the
government of the United States
thereby have intended to express
an opinion to the effect that a
prejudice of whatever nature ex-
listed for the imperial and royal
government with respect to the
judicial consideration of the affair
in question this government must,
in order to preclude possible mis-
understand ngS, declare that as a
matter of course it reserves to
itself full freedom of maintaining
its own legal views in the discus
sion of the case of the Ancona.
In having the honor to have re-
course to the kindness of His
Excellency. the ambassador of the
United States of America. with the
most respectful request to be good
enough to communicate the fore
going to the American govern
ment, and on this occasion to
state that the imperial and royal
government in no less degree than
the American government and
under all circumstances most sim
cerely deplores the fate of the in
nocent victims of the indecent in
question, the undersigned at the
same time avails himself of the
opportunity to renew the express
sion of his most distinguished
consideration to His EXcellency,
the ambassador.
(Signed)
@sBurian."