The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-19
TO FIX TIME LIMIT

TO FIX TIME LIMIT
 All the points and demands made in the first note will be reiterated and 1t Is believed no room will be left for fur ther arguments or negotiations. The note will not, it was authortatively stated, fix q time limit within which Austria H un- gary must comply with the American demands, but will make 1t clear that the final word of this government has been spoken and that Austria-Hungary must decide promptly by its actions whether diplomatic relations between the two countries shall be severed.
 While firm in tone, the communication it is believed, will not be quite as vigor- ous as the first note. The United States was represented by officials as desiring to continue it's present relations with Aus tria-Hungary, if possible. However, this government will not in any way recede from its demands nor will it permit any such apparent procrastination as the Vi- enna foreign office exhibited in furnish ing reply to the inquiry for details made soon after the Ancona went down
 INFORMATION FURNISHED
 That the United States will precisely specify the actual circumstances upon which 1t bases it's case as requested in the reply was believed in official circles to be practically assured. It was said the opinion was that Austria-Hungary was entitled to such a specification If she desired it.
 President Wilson spent several hours to- day at work on the note. Should ques- tions rega rding it arise before it is start ed over the cables to Ambassador Pen field Secretary Lansing will communi- cate n ith the President at Hot Springs, Ng where he is to spend his honeymoon
 ?. lecee ", the secretary may go to
 fo e, xxrst <ha rf
 Taa cab having discussed the sec und nost ln a general way at it's meet ina ,1erday, will not, 1t was said to-
 .It, have another opportunity to inspect 1t before it is dispatched.
 AUSTRIAN NOTE
 The official text of Austria's reply to the American note on the Ancona, made public here today, reveals that the Vienna government denies that the views pre- scented by the United States. even if cor rect, warrant the blame for the disaster being placed upon the commander of the submarine.
 The signed reply denies also that blame can be placed upon the Austro- Hungar- ian government, even If a most rigorous legal construction were applied to the judgment of the case.''
 The note also states that the Austro- Hungarian government is unable to de- termine what the United States intended to indicate when it mentioned the attitude which Germany had assumed toward submarine warfare.
 It adds that if the United States intend- ed Ito express an opinion to the effect that prejudice of whatever nature exist ed'' with respect Ito judicial considera- ton of the affair, the Vienna government declares that 1t reserves to itself fully 70 tnt< view"
 Except for slight variation in trans lation, the remainder of the official text virtually is identical with the unofficial version cabled from London.
 It was agreed, seemingly, in official quarters that the official text did not minimize realization of the true sense of the gravity of the situation which was impressed on officials by the unofficial cables, but it also was apparent that the door to further negotiations was not closed
 The full text of Austrias reply to the American note on the sinking of the Ancona, as made public today by the state department is as follows:
 American Embassy, Vienna, Decem- Der 15. 1915.
 Secretary of State. Washington D. C.-Following note received from min ister of foreign affairs at noon today:
 Tn reply to the much esteemed note No. 4167 which his excellency, MT. Frederick Courtland Penfield,. ambas- sador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of the United States of America, direct ed to him in the name of the American government under date of the 9th inst, in the matter of the sinking of the Italian steamer Ancona. the under signed, preliminary to thorough. mer- itorious treatment of the demands, hss the honor to observe that the sharpness with which the government of the United States considers it necessary to blame the commanding officer of tho submarine concerned in the affair, and the frmenss in which the demands ad- dressed to the imperial and royal gov ernment appear to be expressed, might we'll have warranted the expectation that the government of the United States should precisely specify the actual ciscumstances of the affair, upon which it bases it's case.
 CHARGES NOT SUBSTANTIATED
 '''As is not difficult to perceive, the presentation of the facts in the case in the aforementioned note leaves room for many doubts and. even if tiiix pre-