Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-12-05
AUSTRIA ABSOLUTE
TOOL OF GERMANY
Gradually Reaches Position
Where She Must Be Included
as Enemy Of America.
ACTS JUST SHORT OF WAR
Actual Declaration Will Involve
Very Little Readjust-
ment of Affairs.
iBy AssoClated Press. |

WASllI%GrON. December 4--Decla-
ration OF war with Austria Hungary
invoivcs Gary little readjustment of af-
fairs between the United states and
the dual momarchy. because tho state
OF var which Congress is about TO de-
clare actually mas been u cact for
many months.
There have been no such number OF
Expectations on American lives and
rights by Austrian military forces as
in the case of Germany. but Austria.
as The willing or unwilling ally OF
Germany, has gradually come into
position where officials of the Ameri-
can government have realized more
and more clearly that she mus; be in
Guided with Germany as an enemy.
This was apparent even before the
Teutonic invasion Of Italy made tho
Austro-ltaiian front literally part or
the western front. on which American
forces are operating.
There has been no outstanding overt
act" on the part OF Austria against
the United States: there have been
rather a series OF acts short of being
classed as cause for war. They go
back 10 the beginning OF the European
war.
AUSTRIANS USED ny GERMANY
FOR CARRiING OUT PLOTS
Long before former Ambassador
Dumba vas uncovered and sent home
TO Vienna as an instiSator of strikes
in American manufacturing plants. the
government had evidence that tho
Austrian diplomatic and consular ser
vice was being used in this country
for Germany's warlii:e purposes. The
Secret Service found how tho Austrian
diplomatic code and the Office OF Aus
trian consuls were being used for ac-
tivities Germany could not carry on
in the United States with her own OIL
Gals. In some cases where submarines
sunk unresistine Passenger liners, with
great loss of life, it appeared that the
U-boats themselves were Austrian. but
there was little doubt that the officers
and crew were Germans, and that tho
submcrsiiles were acting under Ger
man orders. The most striking case
OF that sort WAS the destruction of tho
Italian liner .Ancona. in which response
bility never was definitely established.
The first attack on an American
ship which attracted The attention of
the nation was that upon the Amcri-
can steamer rctrolitr. An Austrian
submarine fred on tho ship. killed
member of the crew. aud forcibly took
off supplies while tho master was held
as a hostage on the submarine. Moth
ing but eNasiVc diplomatic corrcspon-
dence ever came OF it. Tho Amcri-
can steamer Schuylkill, sunk last week,
is believed TO have been sent down by
an Austrian submarine. but there has
been no absolute proof.
INTERCHANGE FLAGS
TO AVOID RESPONSIBILITY
German submarines in tho Mcditcr-
ranean have been flying tho Austrian
Nag. and Austrian submarines have
been flying tho German flag. Appar-
entity commanders OF both navics have
been interchanging flags to avoid re-
sponsibility for lawless acts.
Quite aside from the question of
overt acts however, the principal
consideration Of tho government in de-
Gliding on war with Austria Hungary
is the nature Of the alliance between
Austria and Germany, which made it
anomalous to war with the latter and
not with the former. Difficulty piled
upon difficulty. and much s he hoped
to avoid il. the President was forced to
realize that Austria was being used
by Germany in the United States as an
active enemy. and That nothing less
than a declaration OF war would clear
the situation and leave the government
perfectly free To carry on tho war
with Germany III the most effective
manner.
The German spy system in tho United
States to-day is known to be manned
largely by subjects OF Austria Hungary,
many of them members of the Indus
trial Workers Of the World, and the
recent attempts of that organization
to hamper the governments war prepa-
ra tons arc known by the Department
of Justice to be traceablc to the Ger
man system.
Secret Service men found trails of the
notorious Won Papen and Boy- I'D lead
LCnniinMc Ninth paue