The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1915-12-15
FIRM NOTE TO
AUSTRIA-IUNGARY
CONTINUED from Page Nine.)

te2izea as wanton slaughter OF de-
| ienaeioS1 ,noncombatants, since at
the time when the vessel was s;Aelled
and t0rpodocd she WAS not, it appears,
resisting or attempting 90 escape; and
no II loo-l sufficient to excuse such
an attack, not even the possibility OF
rescue.
Choice OF Beliefs.
Inc Government OF the United
states is forced, therefore, to conclude
either that the commander OF the sub
marine acted in violation OF his in
structions or that the imperia! and
royal government failed 10 issue in
Structions to the commanders OF it's
submarines in accordance with the
law of nations and the principles OF
| humanity The government of the
United States is unwilling to believe
.--~- ..-.u.natne and to credit
the 4Austro-Hungarian government
with an .--tention to permit it's sub
marines to destroy the lives Of help
less men. women and children. 1t
prefers to believe that tho commander
OF the submarine committed this out
rage without authority and contrary
to the general or special instructions
which he had received.
"AS the good relations Of the two
countries must rcst upon common
regard for law and humanity the gov
crnmcnt Of the United States can not
be expected to do otherwise than to
demand that tie imperial aud royal
government dcnounce the sinking of
the Ancona as an illegal aud nde-
icnSibie act; that the officer 'vh) per-
pctrated The deed be punished and
ou by the payment Of an
I'M lAI l,N lD IL, III >r
the United States who were killed or
injured Dy tic attack on Tie vessel.
81! he g0mernmcnt Of the United
states expects that the Austro-Ilun-
garan &oycrnr mt, apprcciating The
gravity OF the case, will aoccdc to its
demand promptly and it rests this cX-
rrciation on the belle! that the Aus
tro~iiuuSnrian government will not
sanction or dcrcnd an act which IS
c@Ndcmncd BY the world as inhumano
aud barbarous, which is abhorrent TO
all civilized nations, and which has
caused the death OF innocent Amcvi-
can citizens.
Consideration Of tho text Of the
notc ovorahuGowcd all else in OIL
cial and diplomatic Ctrcle@ in wash
trgton today Everywhere inGorma-
ton WAS awaited Indicating how tho
communication WAS received by the
Vienna government and what effect il
mGht have upon public opinion in
Austria- ilrgary.
Ready to Proceed.
The course the United states Will
pursue is understood 10 have been
decided upon. \ reasonable time will
be given for reply before other action
will h" taken. ii the demand is not
- l.,
Of diplomatic relations in regarded as
certain.
The statement in the note that the
Austro-Hungarian government has
been advised, through correspondence
between the United States and Ger
many, Of the attitude of the United
States towards submarines is based
uDon the knowledge that the Austrian
embassy here was fully cogniZant OF
everything that passed between Wash
ington and Berlin. DR.. tDumba, the
Austrian ambassador, since recalled
kept in close touch with the ncgOtia
tons and even participated 10 an OK
tent.
Although IN some quarters it was
thought That tho Austrian govern
mcnt might reply that the command
CT succeeded or dis"cgardcd his in
s'ruction. it was pointed out that
tho official statement OF tho AustrO-
Hungarian admiralty on the sinking
OF toe Ancona apparently attempted
TO Justify the submarines actions by
stating that the steamer tried TO cs
cape and that a vessel was approach
ing when the underwater boat sub
merged and torpcdocd tho Ancona.
Other Possible Dangers.
countries is complicated by the facts
which have been brought to the at
tcntiOn Of the state department in
connection with the Investigation of
Austrian consular and diplomatic
trouble. These cases. that OF Alex
andcr Won Nubcr, consul general at
New York, Baron Erich Swidcnck,
charge Of the Austro-llungarian cm-
ba$sy here. and other officials, still
are under consideration.
1t was said tonight that It was
probably that decision might not be
reached until some indication was re-
ccivcd OF the position Of the Austro-
hungarian government in regard to
the AncOna demands.
The breaking off Of diplomatic re-
lationS with Austrofiungary, aside
from all other considerations, would
be dcplorcd here because II would
mean the recalling Of Frederic c.
Penlicld, the American ambassador
at Vienna. who is regarded as being
engaged in great work in the cause
Of humanity in the war zone.
Intense interest is felt in what Of
fetc such rupture might have upon
the relations between Germany and
the United States and upon public
opinion in Germany. Onicials do not
look upon this aspect OF the situation