Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-01-04
WILSON GIVES PLEDGE
TO ACT UPON PERSIA
Continued from Page ono

'ontihhch from rage bnc
cause Of this. II is expected that the Con-
trail Tcutonic Powers, who nrc the only
ones using submarines against merchant
vessels. will be asked definitely to re-
affirm tho declaration that hereafter they
will adhere t. he rules OF International
law and tho principles Of humanity"
WILL ACT At ONCE.
The President is prepared. it is officially
stated, to act Immediately. so soon as the
facts surrounding the sinking OF the T.
and q liner Persia, which cost the life
Of Consul Robert y. McNCely. are avail
able. This was made very plain within
two hours after he had returned to tho
White House, when he personally die
tated the statement. which was immcdi-
atoiy made public by Secretary Tumulty.
Inquiries as to what vas meant by
tho w"-d act" brought the prompt re-
ply that 1t must he Interpreted exactly
rs writtcn. There will he no further
lengthy diplomatic exchanges tolerated.
IT was stated AustrY and Germany in
dividuallv have subscribed to the suhma-
rnc doctrine as interpreted by the United
States. They will now he told that these
promises have been openly violated and
that I. @ United States will no longer per
init its International relations to be sub
icCt to the whim OF young officers COM
mandiuE submarines. Continuance of
friendly relations will he made contin-
gent officials here say, on the immediate
abandonment of submarine attacks upon
assenger-carrying merchant vessels.
President Wilson sent for Senator Stone
and Representative Flood. ChHirmCn re-
sprctively, of the Senate and House For
cign Relations Committees. soon after he
rcache1 his office. He told them. It is
understood. that any extended discussion
Of the international relations of the
United States ON tho floor of Congress
at this particular time would prove em-
harrassing. And he assured both chair
men that, so far ms the White House
was concerned. it would not keep Con
gross in the dark regarding future
moves. So soon as enough facts are avail
able on which To predicate future action
he promised, these facts viii be ComInun-
icntcd to the Congressional committees
for such action ns Congress may deem
necessary.
AWAIT PENFIELD'S REPORT.
Secretary Lansing stated today that
none Of the messages so far received from
Ambassador peufcld mention the sInkiug
of the Persia. He told the President
over the telephone that he did not look
for any definite reply TO his message Of
inquiry before Thursday morning. The
Secretary said that no additional facts
Vet have reached the Department. ana
that so far there Is not the slightest
proof available to show whether u was
a mine or "A torpedo that sunk the Persia.
The Secretary said that. while an of the
statements by members of the liners
crew asserted that the vessel was tOrpe-
doed, not single one as yet contained
conclusive proof that this WAS so.
Many state department officials today
inclined to the belief that the Aus
tran submarines are running amuCk In
the Mediterranean because their comman-
.Is.r. no fsafI . I,a
Foreign Office to support them They IN
cline to the belief that the situation today
Is parallel to that which existed In Berlin
following the sinking of the Lusitauin and
which was ended only after Admiral Won
TirpitZ and his aides We're forced from
control Of the Admiralty, Officials taking
tnis view believe that so soon as the
of the present situation as af-
fectiuE the relations between this Govern
ment and the TeutouiC Powers Is realized
In Berlin ana Vienna a general abandon
ment of submarine warfare Will be Or
dered.
BERNSTORFF SEES ZWIEDINEK.
Count Won Bernstorff the German Am
bassador, and Baron ZwIedniek, the Aus
triau charge held conference this after
noon lasting almost an hour at the Ger
man Embassy here, regarding the Persia
case.
Al the conclusion Of the conference il I.
was stated that each envoy will send "A
TO his home GovernmCnl /
which will be practically identical IN all /
What the nature OF the COM I
will be was not divulsed
Me EELY GIVEN Up.
Consul General skinner at London .
cabled the State Department today that .
the name of Robert y. McNeely, Amer .
lean Consul 10 Aden Egypt, who was a 4
passenger on the Persia, did not appear .
on the British Admiralty:s list OF sur 1
vlvors. Charles Grant, the other Amer /
can aboard the Persia, was reported as /
saved, however, he stated.
Consul Keblinger at Malta reported To I
The Department today that n survivors 4
1f the Persia had reached there. Lord .
Montagu beins among them. All de-
,lared that the Persia was tOrpedOed 4
without warning. Seven Indian Lembers /
)f the Perslas crew were reported picked /
up by the Hing Chow They were found .