Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1916-01-03
Austria Will Give Salts
faction if at Fault,
Envoy Says.
PERSIA'S MOUNTED GUN
MAY BE A BIG FACTOR
Hope Abandoned for McNeeIy.
Dead Estimated from l55
TO Above 800.

international crisis brought on by the
Teutonic submarine campaign In the
Mediterranean moved forward swift
ly today and was marked by several
outstanding developments
President Wilson has cut short his
honeymoon at Hot Springs, Va, and
win leave there tonight, arriving In
the capital early tomorrow to take
personal charge Of the situation.
Baron zwiedinek. charge of the
Austrian embassy. assured Secretary
Lansing that should it be found an
Austrian submarine sunk the Persia
with loss of American life his govern
ment would promptly give reparation
and satisfaction. He asked that iudg-
ment be suspended until all the facts
were known
PenGeld Gets Instructions.
The state department instructed
Ambassador Penheld at Vienna to
make inquiries for information look
| ing to determine the nationality of
the submarine, and in any event de-
velop the facts in the case.
Consuls and consular agents in the
vicinity of Alexandria were instructed
to gather affidavits from the Persia
survivors and any others which might
throw light ON the situation.
The fact that the Persia mounted
one gun was disclosed In a dispatch
from American Consul Garrels at Al}
exandria. What effect that will have
on the situation, however, cannot bb
| definitely determined until 1t is known
Yaat In go.
| offense or defense. N
Everywhere In Washington. In OH
| cial and diplomatic circles. and at the
| capitol where Congress- reassembI1a
| tomorrow after the holiday recess
! the situation was viewed as most
critical and fraught with grave even
tulaElitiest
Senator Stone sees Lansing.
Chairman Stone, of the Senate
foreign relations COMMITTEES, con-
ferred with Secretary Lansing at the
secretary's invitation, but was mon
commital about the visit. Senator
Stone admitted that the subuarine
crisis had been discussed and that he
expected to confer with President
Wilson on the latter's return tomor-
row. He said he did not know
whether the crisis would be consid-
cred by the foreign relations commit
tee 'just yet"
There seemed to be a growing in-
preston In official quarters that to-
morrow the president may call the
Congress leaders together and ac-
quaint them fully with the situation
| Although the best the railroad Of
| fcials at Hot Springs could do wac
to promise to start the president
homeward tonight. White House Of
| ficials asked the railroad men to get a
| special train ready to start from
| Clifton Forge, Va, for Washingfoi'>-
this afternoon, calculating that the
/ President could travel from Hot ,
| Springs to Clifton Forge, less thar
fifty miles, by motor. The run from
| Clifton Forge to Washington can be
made in seven hours.
Parallels Arabic Crisis.
The situation as it exists today was
described in official quarters as paral-
| leling the crisis which was caused
| by the sinking OF the Arabic close
| on Germany's assurances in response
to the representations Of the United
States on the destruction Of the Lusi-
tania.
While American officials are keep
ing their minds open until they have
all the facts in the Persia case off,
cially and know whether Americana
were endangered in the sinking OF
| the Glengyle, the gravity of the situ-
alton Ia not minimized and the decla-
ration of Baron Zwiedenik, the Aus
trian charge that he was confident
the final explanation would be satis-
factory has not lessened the tension
Mounted Gnn May Sc Factor.
! One new fact developed today in
the Persia case. The American con-
sui at Alexandria reported that the
ship carried one 4.7-inch gun, but
did not state where the gun was
mounted.
This may become factor in the
| case. The Hague convention. how
ever, provides that a merchandising
may carry gun mounted on the
stern for purposes of defense without
| being considered an armed ship.
The official view here is that the
question Of whether gun was
mounted on the Persia viii depend
entirely on where 1t was placed. X
| mounted forward. officials realized
! The Austrian government could con-
| tend the Persia was armed for de-
/ struction of submarines and had in
structions to ram or destroy the SUD
merstbles.
The disposition is not TO assign tbs
J incident Of the gun to place IN con-
sideration of the case until al the
Z facts arc known.
officials Alarmed at Campaign.
Officials consider that the Austrian
| submarine campaign in the Mediter-
ranean has brought on just such q
( crisis as did the German submarine
campaign in the declared war zone
around the British Isles
Coming close to the conciliatory as
surances in Austria's Ancona note,
the continued submarine activity
principally around the entrance to the
Suez Canal has alarmed and amazed
| American officials, who have graFa
( apprehensions over the Developments
of the next few days.
Consul Garrels dispatch said tnat
| the Persia sank in five minutes Con
sui McNeely. who was en- route TO his
post, was last seen in the water before
the steamer sank. The dispatch said (
also that Charles III. Grant, of Boston
another American, was among tnh
survivors.
fhe survivors saw no torpedo It was
stated. although .. ships officer said
he saw the wake of a torpedo
state department officials p9-ticN-
larly are seeking confederation @
statements that the wake Of tor.
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