Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-12-13
AUSTRIAN CONSUL
SEES LANSING
CONTINUED From First Page.1
The Secretary of State to Ambassador
Penfield.
Department of State.

The Secretary of State to Ambassador
Penfield.
Department of State.
Washington, Dec. 6, 1915.
Please deliver n note to the minis
ter of foreign affairs, teXtually as fol-
lows:
Reliable information obtained from
American and other survivors who
were passengers on the steamship An
coma shows that on November a sub
marine flying the Austro- Hungarian
flag fired a solid shot toward the
steamship; that thereupon the Ancona
attempted to escape; but being over
hauled by the submarine she stopped;
that after brief period and before
the crew and passengers were all able
to take to the boats the submarine
fired number of shells at the vessel
ana hnally torpedoed and sank her
while there were yet many persons on
board; and that by gunfire and foun-
derlng or the vessel a large number of
persons lost their lives or were seri-
ously injured, among who were cti-
zens of the United States.
The public statement of the Austro-
Hungarian admiralty has been brought
to the attention of the government of
the United States and received careful
consideration. This statement sub
stantially confirms the principal decla-
ration of the survivors, as it admits
that the Ancona. after being shelled,
was torpedoed and sunk while persons
were still on board.
The Austro- Hungarian government
has been advised, through the cor
respondence which has passed between
the United States and Germany, of the
attitude of the government of the
United States to the use of the sub
marines in attacking vessels of com
merce, and the acquiescence of Ger
many in that attitude, yet with full
knowledge on the part of the Austro-
hungarian government of the views of
the government of the United States
as expressed in no uncertain terms to
the ally of Austria-Hungary, the COM
mander of the submarine which at
tackled the Ancona failed to put in
place of safety the crew and passen-
gers of the vessel which they pur-
posed to destroy, because. it is pre-
sumed. of the impossibility of taking
1t into port as a prize of war.
Attitude of United States
The government of the United
States considers that the commander
violated the principles of international
law and of humanity by shelling and
torpedoing the Ancona before the per-
sons on board had been put in a place
or safety or even given sufficient time
to leave the vessel. The conduct of
the commander can only be character
lied as wanton slaughter of Defense
less noncombatants. since at the time
when the vessel was shelled and tor
pedoed she was not, it appears. resist
ing or attempting to escape; and no
other reason is sufficient to excuse
such an attack, not even the possibility
of rescue.
The government of the United States
is forced, therefore, to conclude either
that the commander of the submarine
acted in violation of his instructions,
or that the imperial and royal govern
ment failed to issue instructions to the
commanders of its submarines in ac-
cordance with the law of nations and
the principle of humanity. The gov
ernment of the United States is un-
willing to believe the latter alterna-
tive and to credit the Austro- Hun
garian government with an intention
to permit its submarines to destroy the
lives of helpless men, women and chill
dren. 1t prefers to believe that the
commander of the submarine COM
mitted this outrage without authority
and contrary to the general or special
instructions which he had received
AS the good relations of the two
countries must rest upon a common
regard for law and humanity the gov
ernment of the United States cannot
be expected to do otherwise than to
demand that the imperial and royal
government denounce the sinking of
the Ancona as an illegal and indie
fensible act; that the officer who per-
petrated the deed be punished; and
that reparation by the payment of an
indemnity be made for the citizens of
the United States who were killed or
injured by the attack on the vessel.
The government of the United States
expects the Austro- Hungarian govern
ment, appreciating the gravity of the
case. will accede to its demand prompt
ly: and it rests this expectation on the
belief that the Austro- Hungarian gov
ernment will not sanction or defend
an act which is condemned by the
world as inhumane and barbarous,
which is abhorrent to all civilized ma
tions and which has caused the death
of innocent American citizens.
LANSING.