Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-04-09
Austria Breaks Ties
With United States
Continued from Page One

Continued from Page One
war can long be averted. Austrian sub
marines have been and are active in the
Mediterranean. 1t is only n question OF
a short time, officials say. when they will
torpedo some vessel without warning or
which some passengers are Americans OF
In the crew and that such action will be
accepted by this Government as an act
Of war. Some officials indeed. professed
to believe that Austria would herself de.
clare war on the United States as her
reply to the action of this Government in
lining up with the Entente For the i'm
mediate present, officials said they ex-
pected the status would continue one of
broken diplomatic relations
So far the status Of Turkey and Bull
garia was concerned, officials here frankly
said that they were puzzled. 1t is con-
ceded that both nations are dominated by
Germany and will do whatever Berlin says.
However, Bulgaria has no navy and no
submarines, while the Turkish submarines
are very negligible quantity. Some State
Department officials said that they did not
expect either Bulgaria or Turkey to take
action at present.
The Austrian embassy told the State De-
partment that 1t was very likely that the
Swiss Government would be asked to take
over Austrian affairs in this country
The taking over of the duty of caring for
many thousands Of prisoners of war that
are held In Hungary presents a very serious
problem officials say In this work Ambas.
sador Penfeld has been very successful
and his work has been appreciated by all
OF the nations directly concerned
The state Department is still in the
dark regarding what actually happened in
Vienna. The only word that It had was
flve-word cable bulletin from Minister
Stoval which read as follows:
Relations with Austria broken yes-
terday"
The cable was dated at Berne this morn.
Ing, although some officials suggested that
Il might really refer to Saturday as the
time. The department is making an effort
to get into touch with Stovall to obtain
all details and also to find out how the
American representatives are to be gotten
out of Austria.
One complication that will result from
the break will be the fact that 1t will put
Ambassador Elkus at Constantinople yirtu-
ally out Of communication with this city
While communication with him has been
SLOW it has been steady through Vienna.
Because OF the apprehension that has been
felt for the safety OF Americans in certain
outlying portions of Turkish territory, the
cutting off Of Vienna as a point of COM
munication Is admittedly serious develop
ment.
State Department officials took instant
steps to get the Austrian diplomatic and
consular representatives out Of this coun-
try The British and French Governments
will be asked to afford the same safe-con-
duct to them as prevailed when Count Won
Bernstorff and his party were sent home
The department will endeavor to have the
Scandinavian-America Line accept the off,
cials as passengers and will also endeavor
to arrange to have the search Of the party
made at Halifax instead of Kirkwall
So soon as Baron Zwiedinek returned to
the embassy he and the members of his stan
commenced packing up to leave the country.
kilograms we're sent to all Austrian con-
sular agents directing them to get ready
to leave. At the same time a secret service
guard was provided for the embassy and
the officials will be protected day and night
until they actually are out of the country