New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-12-23
Demands Repeated,
but Reply Need Not
Be "PrOmpt.'
HINT u. S. MAY
TRY PERSUASION
Critics Say Changed Tone
Means Attempt to En-
tice DiSavOWal.


Wilson's second note to Austria on
the Ancona case. made public at the
State Department to-day, is accept
ed here as an effort 70 place the Aus
trian government and people in
frame Of mind that would make
compliance with the demands of the
first note possible, but without tech
nically receding from the position he
took two weeks before. He with
draws none of the demands. but he
sets them forth in far mildcr tone.
The request for prompt" an
swer is not repeated. The omission
is Intentional, and State Department
officials say that Austria viii oe
given any reasonable amount OF zine
up to several weeks to prepare a re-
ply. The epithets used in the first
note are omitted in the second.
"Wanton slaughter" has become "the
act" of the Austrian commander.
No Breakdown. Say Officials.
InSstence is still placed on the
statement that the United States Will
in no essential particular back down
from its original position. This gov
ernment. officials repeat, is still will
ing to break with Austria, and will
do so rather than accept any settle
ment short of q complete compliance
with the Presidents demands.
Critics OF the Presidents course arc
asking why he made use Of the irritst-
ing chsracterizations Of the Ancons
crime i'm the first note. and Why he in
sisted upon prompt action from Austria
if he was later to renounce this method.
The first Ancons note, it IL declared,
meant clearly thai the United States
was not only willing but anxious to
break with Austria The secoRd is held
20 show just as plainly ;hat ;hc ad-
mnis.ratiou is ready 10 resort 20 sooth-
ing words if they viii help to extract
a dissvowsi.
The argument OF the note. as fore
cast in The Tribune. is that Austria
herself has provided all the facts nee
essary 20 the American case, and that
the Law OF the case is too generally
accepted to provide a subject Of dis
cussion. No further reference is made
to the controversies with Germany on
submarine warfare.
Arbitration Suggestions Ignored.
Suggestions from Vienna, printed in
this country, that the Austrian gov
ernmcnt might consent to pa indem-
nifty. but would ask that the legality
Of the act he submitted 10 arbitration.
find 70 echo Of sympathy at the State
Department. It is fatly declared that
such arrangement would not even
be discussed and that an offer Of such
character from Austria would be inter
rrcted as a wilful attempt to prolo1g
the discussion fruitlcssly.
The State Department is chiefly con-
cerncd az present with the problem OF
throwing all the blame for any break
on Austria. u is admitted tist a
plausible compromise offer from Aus
tria might haze the effect Of placing
that government in a favorable light
before the world, and would consc-
auently throw TIE burden on the
United States if it we-c refused.
In Gcrmanic quarters. however. II is
believed that the United States has al
ready placed itself hopelessly in the
wrong b. the harsh ard provocative
note which was Austria's first warning
of American displcasu-c at the act o.
her commander.
Hold Austria Is Absolved.
A compliance With demands so OK
pressed. = is held. could rot have becr
expected fror' any self-respccting ma
tior. and the rotc gave Austria ample
grounds for breaking of relations with.
cut fu-the- parlcv. That the Austrian
government did 10; do so. but. with
the object Of preventing such an out
come. dispatched note in reply. is ac-
courted circumstance that sbloiyes
her from an% blanc that r,cy a;t2ch
20 later rupture.
These facts a.c plain" al exponent
o. the Austrian side explains. "Thc
United states ia its frs no.c showed
rlaia,y ;ha; "a desired breaS. Au'-
tria. when she could have broken wl,h
hcno- and creGi; 10 herself, swallowed
gross insult and played for tine. IN
dicG.ing that she vas willing 70 make
sacrifices 90 preserve anieable rein-
tious. Mnutcver the two government
may say from now on. the conditions OF