The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1915-12-31
DIPLOMATIC BREAK IMMINENT.
Austria's Reply Not Likely to Prove
Satisfactory-Situation Grave,
1t is Said.

Washington, Dec. 28.-Unofficia ad-
vices received here today conformed
with intimations from abroad that
Austria's Forthcoming reply to the
Ancona note will fail to meet the de-
mands Of the United States, and Teu-
tonic circles here were authoritatively
represented as being prepared for a
break in diplomatic relations between
the two countries.
Various developments, it was
agreed, might avoid such an eventual
ly, but none of the counter proposals
which it has been intimated the Wen
ma foreign office might advance have
been regarded so far as coming within
Secretary Lansing's renewal Of the de-
mands for disavowa1, reparation and
punishment of the submarine coni-
mander who sunk the Ancona, with
the loss of more than dozen Ameri-
can lives.
Now that the situation, after being
dormant nearly two weeks, is again
beginning to take on the aspects of a
crisis, the status of the negotiations
of the United States over submarine
warfare against merchantmen, not
with Austria alone, but with the Teu-
tonic Powers as allies, is commanding
attention.
No Assurance From Austria.
Although Germany has given the
United States assurances that she will
conform to the principle of visit and
search before attack, the practices
against which the United States so
vigorously contended are being car
ried on now by her ally, and it has
been charged that the Austrian sub
marines are in some instances fur
nished by Germany, and in others are
officered and manned by the German
navy. Such a situation, it is being
pointed out, amounts to practically
defeat of the submarine negotiations
with Germany. Furthermore, the i'm
passe in the Lusitania negotiations be-
comes factor in the situation.
1t lis admitted that the United
States scarcely can request Austria
to conduct submarine warfare in it's
relation to the rights of neutrals in a
manner different from that permitted
to Germany.
Meaning of Liner?
Germany has admitted her obliga-
tion not to sink lliners without giving
warning and ma King provision for the
safety of passengers and crews pro-
vidng there was no resistance. So
far no agreement has been reached as
to the exact meaning of the word lin
ers. The Germans hold it is applica-
BILE to vessels carrying passengers
alone and plying between certain
ports on regular schedules The State
departments view has been that the
terms include any merchant ship be-
longing to regular steamship line,
but no issue has been made of the
differing interpretations because Ger
many has undertaken to use such pre-
cautions as may be consistent with the
use of the submarine, to warn rner-
chantment, and to insure the safety
of the passengers and crew, provided
these are not a part of the military
establishment of the enemy.
- The demand of the United States
upon Austria in connection with the
Ancona case is broader than any Ger
man admission, being based upon the
contention that international law. The
Hague conventions and the declaration
of London all require warning before
sinking vessel, and insurance of the
safety of the passengers and crew,
even when the vessel is of belligerent
ownership, and where she does not
comply with German ideas of the term
liner.
Austrian Submarines Active.
The Austrian government has not
admitted any such obligations and re-
cent events in the Mediterranean in
dlcate that her submarine command
ers are sinking merchantmen without
warning and without inquiry as to
whether they carry neutral passen-
gers. So far no explanation beyond
that OF military necessity has been of
fered.
Unless the expected note from that
government should amount to a sud-
den and total severance of diplomatic
relations, it is expected in official
quarters that the Austrian foreign Of
nee will seek to justify it's methods,
perhaps adopting one of the original
German contentious in the Lusitania
case, that the appearance of the sub
marine as weapon of war has intro
duced new problems and not only ius-
ku kN<.gI