Omaha daily bee., 1916-01-01
AUSTRIA AGREES
TO meet VIEWS OF
UNITED STATES
Unofficial Version Of Reply to Sec
ond Ancona Note Indicates
that Danger Of Rupture
Has Passed.
PUNISH SUBMARINE COMMANDER
This Amounts to Disavowal Of Act
and Assurance that it Will
Not Be Repeated.
TRANsLAToRs WORK ON NOTE

WASHINGTON, Dec. 31.--Ameri-
can demands on Austria Hungary in
connection with the destruction of the
steamer Ancona apparently have been
met in the new note from Vienna. The
official text of Austria's Ancona note
was received early today at the State
department. The work OF transla-
ting from diplomatic code will take
several hours and arrangements for
publication will be made later.
II the official text Of Austria's reply
TO the second American note conforms
to press dispatches. saying tho COM
munication announced that the submarine
commander who torpedoed the steamer
had been punished, virtually only one
phase of tho incident remains to be
cleared up.
Indemnity Issue to ne Met.
That would be the payment of indom-
nifty for American lives lost, for which
Austria has expressed a willingness to,
make reparatlons. Later. however, there
may be full exchanges between the United
States and Austria on the question OF
submarine warfare and the necessity for
warning before attacking merchantmen.
1t was pointed out here that In punish-
ing tho submarine commander for failure
TO take into account the panic prevailing
aboard the Anoona before torpedoing the
vessel. the Austrian government In ef-
feet. disavowed the act and gave assur-
ances that there would be no repetition
Of such an incident.
Officials Reserve Comment.
! Although officials reserved comment
today pending the receipt of the official
text there was a relaxation of the ten
sion which has been evident here. Up un-
I'll few days ago there was an air OF
gravity In Official circles here over the
situation and the relations between the
two countries appeared TO be on the
verge of n break. but within tho last day
or two there had been lntimations Of
favorable settlement Of the controversy.
The Ancona was sunk by an Austrian
submarine off the Tunisian coast ON Mo-
Vember Z. A few days later the Arnerl-
can government dispatched a note TO the
Austro-IIungarian government demanding
disavowal OF the attack. punishment OF
the submarine commander. reparation for
loss OF American lives and assurances
that such acts would not occur again.
Austria's reply was regarded as unsatis-
factory and unacceptable to the Ameri-
can government. and second note was
sent asking for a compliance with the
original American demands. The new
Austrian note is in answer TO that COM
munication.
RepIv ComrH IN S~~tiorE.
The reply came in sections. Secretary
Lansing said this forenoon that one sec
tion had been translated and that he ex-
, pected the complete translation would be
in his hands before night.
Officials who had read the unofficial
. version OF the reply received in press dis.
patches from London apparently were
much gratlfied at its nature. Danger OF
| a break OF diplomatic relations with Aus
tria-Hungary was no longer considered
: imminent Officials said. however, thai
additional correspondence on the sub 'eet
! was sure TO ensue. Secretary Lansing
declined to comment on the reply unit
he had the complete official text befor,
him.
II was considered doubtful that the off
cial text would be given out for publica
tlon either today or tomorrow. Secretar,
Lansing has received from Ambassador
Penfield a brief resume OF the contents
OF the note.
Issues Formal statement.
, The members OF the expedition ar,