The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-12-13
Note So Blunt Dual En-
pirc Must Yield or Break
Relations.
"WANTON SLAUGHTER"
AND OUTRAGE" USED
ReparatiOn and Punish
ment of Cndersea Boats
Captain Demanded.
ONE AVENUE OPEN FOR
A GRACEFUL RETREAT
Austria May Claim Subma-
rine Skipper Acted Con-
trary to Orders.

"ASHiNVIU~, DtC. Iz.----Austr1H-ihuil-
gary must yield 10 tho demands OF the
United States for satisfaction on Ac-
count OF the sinking OF the Italian liner
Ancora and the killing of Americans
! or else face tho likelihood of break
Of diplomatic relations.
THIS - the Interpretation pet sy
Washington on tho note which this
! Government has sent TO Austria and
which was made public to-dsy.
The communication is characterized
BY tone OF severity and bluntness
never before ,ieed by the United States
ir It's correspondence with the belliser-
ems In the present war.
| \ demand Is made for The following
! satisfactions:
I. Denunciatioa ~ the act.
.. Punishment ~ the submarine ecu.
mahder who was respoAsibia.
y. Reparatioa by the payment ~ .
money Indemnity.
Tho note explicitly prescribes m.
form of the denunciation. Austria
must "denounce" It ss IAN Illegal and
I indefensible act"
Part That May Hurs.
This Is rho vital paragraph in re
note:
As the good relations OF the two
countries must rest upon common
regard for Law and humanity. ths
! Government of the ITpitad
not he expected TO do otherwise than
10 demand that the Imperial anf
Royal Government denounce the sink.
ing OF the Ancona as an illegal and
indefensible act, that the officer who
perretrated the deed be punished ard
that reparation by the payment of an
Indemnity he made for the citizens
or the United States who were killaI
or injured by the attack on the We.
sci
i throughout tho note has an abrupt.
ness af expression which has surprised
official and diplomatic CIRCLES despite
the fact that for five days It has been
known generally that the communca-
tion va. a severe one.
Not the leas, significant feature Of
IT Is the employment of the term de-
mandS.' so rarely used IN diplomatic
correspondence.
II is noted too that the United Statcs
in the case Of Austria calls for de-
ANNEXATION of tho act, not a "disa-
J vowal.' as in the case ~ GERMANY.
II is words like these, which mean
20 much more in the language Of d,-
plomacy than elsewhere. that has con-
vinced Washington of the peremptory
character OF the communication
/ some str"nR Words.
'Inhumane. 'Taarbsrous." "sibhor-
rent" "wanton slaughter" outrage
are some of the other expire essions that
stand out IN the note.
Yet the United States leaves a Wa,
open 70 Austria for graceful retreat II
the dual monarchy desires 10 accept il
This Government points out that II
"prefers'to believe" that the submarine
commander acted contrary to instruc-
tons rather than accept the only other
alternative that the Imperial and
Royal Government failed TO issue in
structions 10 the commanders OF its
submarines In accordance with the
laws Of nations and the principles o.
humanity"
For the latter alternative the note
makes plain that the United States
could find no excuse. because the Aus
vo-Hungarian Government. II points
out. has been advised through the
correspondence which has passed he
tween the United States ana Germany
OF tho attitude OF the Government "
the United States
This refers to the fact that the pre-
caution wa.S taken by the state De-
partment to see that all of the Amer.
team notes 10 Germany on the sub
marine issue wer~ delivered ~ the
Austrian Embassy here,
Nowhere IN the commun'ca ions ~,r
20 Germany on tho Lusitania did the
United States 'Nemand" satisfaction.
Always It was stated this Government
confidently expects" that Germany
Nould meet the position Of tho J'nited
States.
Significant statement.
Mucl significance was attached Iora