The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1915-12-13
THIS SOUNDS LIKE BUSINESS /

The Americananote to Austria on
the Aneona case would be more con-
vincing If the American public did
not have in mind the vigor Of notes
that in the past have been addressed
to Germany concerning her subma-
rine warfare. The Lusitania COM
munications seemed to convey as
surance of vigorous action, and that
expectation has been disappointed.
The weakest feature of the Ancona
note, indeed, is in these words:
1.-THE Austro-H Hungarian govern
ment has been advised, through the
correspondence which has passed be-
tween the United States and Ger
many; Of the attitude of the United
States as to the use of submarines
in attacking vessels of commerce,
AND THE ACQUIESCENCE OF
GERMANY IN THAT ATTI-
tube :"
The capitals are our own. They
carry the assumption that Germany
has complied with Washington's de-
mands, to Washington's satisfac-
ton; and that Washington asks
Austria to do as we'll. The manner
of Germany's compliance with those
demands, in view of subsequent
happenings, as in the Arabic case,
and in view of the German refusal
to disavow the Lusitania outrage,
does not emphasize the conviction
that Austria will regard the present
communication as so meaningful as
it might otherwise seem.
Nevertheless, the Ancona note is
the most pointed that our Govern
ment has written about sea warfare.
1t uses terms that in diplomacy are
construed to be final: it says that
"the Government of the United
States EXPECTS that the Austro-
Hungarian government" will FAC
cede to its demands PROMPTLY"
and it DEMANDS" reputation of
the act and punishment of the sub
marine commander. These are terms
which leave no room for conversa-
tiOnal acrobatics on either side.
There is one expansion of the
American demands in the interest of
humanity which will be gratifying
to all humanity. The United States
Government says that its informa-
ton is that the Ancona tried to es-
cape, but being overhauled, stopped.
The attempt to escape is not ac-
cepted as a justification of her de-
struction in a manner that caused
loss of innocent and non-combatant
lives. Former expressions of our
Government have left room for the
assumption that possibly a vessel
that attempted to escape might be
summarily sent to the bottom. It is
good to know that the State De-
partment is now determined to make
its humanitarianism practical and con-
sistent. 1t is in human nature that
the attempt to escape will be made
when there is anything like chance.
There never before was an attempt
to enforce law of war under which
attempt to escape, on the open road
of the high seas, was a warrant for
murder. The United States would
do less than its duty to neutrals, to
humanity, to common decency, if it
did not insist on a wider, rather than
narrower, application of humane
/ ideals. The Ancona note makes that
wider application, and it should be
insisted upon to the last degree and
the ultimate measure. Civilization
chances to have made America, at a
critical point, it's trustee. That trus-
teeship must be discharged in a
manner creditable to the highest
pretensions of this nation.
There is another regard, in which
the note to Austria marks a wider
American view. Nowhere in Mr..
Lansing's note is there allusion to
the fact that the AnCona was an
Italian ship. The fact that she be-
longed to a nation with which Aus
tria is at war is thus passed to the
background of non-essentials, in the
American opinion. The big, out
standing fact in the American view
as now formulated is that she was
a ship of commerce, On the high
seas that belong to the whole world
not to any nation; that she carried
non-combatants. The United States
makes it's demands in the cause OF
freedom and safety at sea, rather
than, primarily, in the interest oil
American life at sea. 1t is larger
view. There is only incidental ref,
erence to the loss of American lives
the emphasis is placed on Americas
horror at murder, rather than al
murder of Americans.
Prompt and satisfactory compli
ance by Austria with the American
demands saema the Oniv esrane frour