The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-12-18
RUPTURBW WITH
AUSTRIA HANGS
INTHEBALANCE
Wilson to Decide To-day on
Sincerity Of vienna's De-
Inand for Details
GERMANS FEAR ALLY
WILL BREAK FIRST


Of the diplomatic relations between the
United States am Austria seemed to-
night to rest on the question of Austria's
sincerity,
| Confronted by the fact that the official
reply from Vienna OH the Ancona case.
which was received here to-day, IL every
bit as unsatisfactory AN the press fore
casts indicated. President Wilson and
Secretary Lansing ar" already consider
ing what Is to be said in the next Ameri-
can communication.
| Tomorrow the President and Mr..
Lansing will hold their final conference
before the President leaves Washington
OH his wedding trip.
| II at this conference they are able TO
convince themselves that Austria's re-
quest for the Information Oh which the
| American demands were made Is sincere
such information will he supplied In
new note.
IL on the other hard they decide thai
the Austrian reply is mere evasion the
| new American note will lie little short OF
| AN ultimatum.
The entire situation IL regarded A.
grave Among officials t". night the
disposition WAS 10 reject every prOpo'
sitIon set forth by Austria and I" force
the issue.
May send PeaHrld Home.
In quarters close to the Austrian and
| German Embassies tn. prediction was
made frankly that unless the United
States adopts a less drastic attitude
and consents to discuss the circum-
| stances Of the Ancona attack the AUS
| trian Government will answer the next
| American communica tion by handing
Ambassador Penheld his passports
Count Won Bernstorff. the German
| Ambassador. returned 20 washington
to-day to continue advising baroh
Zwiedinek, the Austrian Charge d Az
faires The atmosphere Al the German
Embassy is far more pessimisuc than
at any time since the Austrian crisis
develop.d. In these quarters the Tear
seems to exist that the United STATES u
desirous OF breaking OF relations Win
the Austrian Government.
Whether or not this Government con-
sents to supply Austria with state
ment of the faces on which II based It's
demands the demands themselves VIII
, stand and will be reiterated IN the
new note Austria will be told again
that she must denounCe the Ancona
attack ~ Illegal and indefenSitl". that
she must punish the submarine COM
mand.r responsible and that she must
| MAKE rtIbitLlp'l II inc E'''
between the Two countries are to con-
tinue.
, should IL bc decided TO supply Austria
, with the Information she has requested
II will be- furnished IN brief form, II Will
: be stated. officials say. that from pas
sengers on board the Ancona who sur
, vived the attack the American Govern
, ment obtained afidsvits which agreed or
: the main feature that the Ancona with
| I'm .nl
standstir was subjected to guniire and
2 torpeioed.
/, Names tO Ne GtNen.
{ L, Is likely that the names of In,
l Americans on board and of those pas
! sengers who furnished the affidaNits ma,
l he given. 1t will be- reiterated that tn
main circumstances Of the attack a!
n agreed TO by these atiidavits were con
l. fir.med by the official statement Of th'
e Austrian Admiralty
g By these statements Of fact the .Ameri
y can Government will announce It's pur
o pose To stand ON them 1t will reiterat'
u its demands for satisfaction. Unles
4 the demands are met, officials here d.
: not see how diplomatic relations cal
! | continue.
d In view Of the fact that the frs
= American note to Austria set 0rt|
Il clearly that the United states laid EN-
4 phasis on the confirmation furnished Z
r its own information by the Austrian
r Admiralty statement, state Department
: officials cannot see how Austrias re
| quest for bill Of particulars can h
sincere unless she is prepared to re
pudiate the Admiralty version OF IN
= Ancona attack.
= In any event. It is said the Unite
o states will stand by the afiidavits
n obtained In short, while Austria ma
o gain time by asking for this bill of par
I ttculars. she must IN the last analysis
II II is agreed, give the satisfaction de
= manded or force a break. II the ne'
" note giving the information requisite
10 is sent. as now seems likely, the crisi
~ will he postponed for probably tw
!. weeks.
=; Won't Exchange Views.
y but under no circumstances. oficia
g, saw will the American Government Civ
A. consideration to the suggestion In II
Ie Austrian reply that the two Government
'exchangc opinions AS to the legalit
- OF the attack as described by the Au'
Y. trian Admiralty. To President Wilso
q and his advisers there can be no rool
,s for the argument that It was justlflab
AZ for n submarine 10 sink an unarme
~ merchant ship with Messengers on boar
ID while tho ship was at standstiH
lt7 1t was declared in German and Aus
"a trian quarters tonight that Austria
s, reply was the only one possible shoi
,t Of handing Mr.. Penfield his passport
~ While II was said emphatically that Au.
,L tria does not wish to break with III
United States and that an amicable SCI
M tlement II still possible, persons close
- the two embassies insisted that n con
II, pliancc by Austria In the face Of II
nj br,,suue language In the American no,
s would have innamed the people OF ii
,e dual monarchy to an uncomfortable d'
h, gree The reply had to be shaped wi,
10 that fact In mind. II was asserted.
A.. Secretary Lansing has not decide
h. when the official text will be given Of
|, . for publication. Having learned t0-da
a, that II was made public In Vienna Ia
"a night, before 1t had time to reach Was
.a ington, MIR. Lansing win not consult Il
NO Austrian Charge d Affaires before NAL
W. ing IL public here. II IL understoo
~. however, that both he and the Pres
!, dent wish first to establish clearly
their own minds just what the rep
O. means.
"a 1t was learned authoritative!y tn
T. whatever instructions the President W
he give Mr.. Lansing before leaving Was
or ington tomorrow night will be OF sut
ed a character as to permit him to go ahes
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