Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-01-05
PRESIDENT PLANS
COURSE TO MEET
AUSTRIAN CRISIS
Wilson and Lansing Confer
on Whether Persian Was
Armed Liner
AWAIT PENFIELD REPORT
WAS. tNGroN. Ian. 5.

WAS. tNGTON, Jan. 5.
president Wilson and Secretary OF
eaftr Lansing today were clearing the
aiplpmaiic decks rnr tho promised action
70 obtain Showdown" IN the sub
marine situa fon. The Secretary placed
bcfore the Pres dent an the data avail
Z aplc connected with the sinking OF the
and q. liner Persia. In addition, the
President discussed at length with his
chief adviser the grave questions OF
what constitutes an armed merchantmen
under International law.I whether the
United states policy IN this connection
must bc changed because of the develop
nent pf submarine warfare
Leaving tho White House. Secretary
LANSING explained that ip 10 tho present
the department still was without nfor-
nation whether n torpedo or mine sunk
The Persia. No word Net has come from
Ambassador penhold. who was directed to
ask Austria whether an Austrian sub
marine was responsible. An answer is
not expected at the earliest before tomor-
row.
HAVE TENTATIVE PLAN.
1t was learned that tentative plan Of
procedure was agreed upon which will he !
followed should Austria accept rcspon- !
sibility for the sinking Of the Persia. AL |
though only the President and his premier !
know the details Of this policy, White |
House and State Department officials be- |
Heved that 1t had been agreed that unless |
Austria voluntarily makes the most COM
plcte disavuwal of tho sinking and agrees /
TO apologize for the death Of Consul /
McNeclN and tO pay an adequate indcm-
nifty diplomatic relations will be broken
off without the formaity of further dip
lomatiC exchanges.
officials declare that i'm the light of
the position the President has publicly
taken and in view of his action in the
Arabic case, this is the very least that
he can bc expected to do should il he
shown that Austria, after publicly agree
Ing 10 observe Internal tional law and the
rules. ofhumtuity," sank the liner with
itE cargo of uou-COmbHtuuts.
In connection with the admission that
the Persia was armed ii was declared
at the British Embassy today that ever
since the .GS,Crn service OF the penin- |
sular aud Orient was established all of |
its liners have carried guns to protect
themselves against pirates In the Rcd
Sea and other points on their routes
where pirates have operated. These vcs-
,els all were armed before the war Of
icials say.
WILL CHANGE ATTITUDE.
u Is now generally accepted that the
United States so soon as the Persia sit !
Iatiou comes to head will change its
attitude toward the question or the right
)s passenger liners to carry guns. Soc
-etary Lansing brought to tho attention
II the President at tho conference all of :
ne data available on the subject. This |
howed that when this Government made
Is ruling on the question of liners car
wing cannon soon after the war began, y
hat ruling was based entirely on prece- y
lent as it existed up to that time and a
9 the agreement embodied in The Hague Il
invocation. d
The contentious that have since been ''
aised In connection with submarine war Q
are were also placed before the Prcsi- | h
ent and II Is understood that an agree
lent was reached whereby Mr.. Lansing a
ill work out general statement cover =
IL the situation, which will he con-
dered, II possible, at Fridays cabinet | "
leeting and. il approved will be COM d
iunicated To all Of the powers, W