Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1917-04-12
AUSTR|A-HUNGARY
BREAKS WITH j. S,
Dual Monarchy's Representative
at Washington Calls for His
Passports.
AUSTRIAN SHIPS SEIZED.
Il Transpires That Vienna Had Threat
eued q Break II We Severed Our
Relations With Germany.

eneA Q Break II We Severed Our
Relations with Germany.
washington, April s.-Austria-H Hungary,
ranging herself unreservedly with Ger
many, has severed diplomatic relations
with the United States. precipitating a
situation which generally is expected here
to lead to war.
Baron Erich zwiedinek. the Austrian
charge, asked the state department to-
day for passports for himself. his staff
and the Austrian consular force in this
country; and simultaneously American
Minister Stovan reported from Berne that
Austria had announced the break in rela-
tons to the American embassy in Vienna
yesterday.
Immediately the treasury department
ordered the seizure Of all Austrian mer-
chant ships In American harbors. Tho
Austrian crews were taken of and sent
to immigration stations and American
guards put on board. The measure was
explained as purely ono Of police caution.
but It 10 realized that 1t may be inter-
preted by Austria as an act Of war. In
Q similar situation after the break with
Germany. no ships were seized until
state Of war actually had been declared.
OTHER ALLIES MAY FOLLOW.
Whether Bulgaria and Turkey are pre-
pairing to follow suit still Is unknown,
but officials generally believe that sooner
or later they will do 50. The Bulgarian
minister. Panaretoff. called on Secretary
Lansing late to-day to ask II this govern
ment had any information from Sofia, but
was told none had been received. Both
Bulgaria and Turkey are believed here
to be weary Of the war. but German DOM
nation Of the central European alliance
| 10 expected to drive them. as 1t drove
Austria, to . break with Germany's new
enemy.
| kilograms prepared Q week ago in an
ticipation Of to-day's development have
been sent to American diplomatic and
consular ofIiciais abroad instructing them
to wind up their conduct Of entente in
terests in Austria, and Of Austrian inter-
ests in entente countries. Spain will take
over American interests in Austria. and
Sweden viii assume Austrian interests
here.
TO ASK FOR SAFE CONDUCTS.
Safe conducts for the former Austrian
ofIicials on their trip home will be sought
at once from the British and French gov
ernments. With them will go Count
Tarnow Tarnowski the newly-appointed
Austrian Ambassador. who arrived in New
York city on the day Germany announced
her campaign Of ruthlessness. but whose
credentials President Wilson has refused
to accept while negotiations proceeded to
develop how fully the Vienna government
endorsed the submarine policy Of her
ally.
In statement tonight reviewing
these negotiations the State depart
ment revealed that on April / before
President Wilson sent before Congress
to ask for declaration Of . state Of war
With Germany. Austria served notice
that such q declaration would mean a
break between the Washington and
Vienna governmental. This notification
brought to an abrupt end the state de-
lpsrtmsnt's efforts to dissuade the Aus
TRAN foreign Office from adhering fully
to the German submarine policy.
WAR WITH AUSTRIA PROBABLE.
| Although war with Austria is
thought now to be q practical certain
ty. President Wilson Is described as
having no intention Of forcing it. The
belief 10 that the President will not
ask Congress to declare a state OF war
unless some overt act against the Uni
ted States 10 committed.
Oncials were without definite advicet
regarding arrangements for withdrawal
Of tho embassy staff at Vienna and other
Americans in the dual empire. Ambassa'
, dor Penfleld already 10 in Switzerland. II
10 assumed that no obstacle will be placed
lin the way Of the departure Of American
ICharge Grew. his sta and the 1000 Other
| NATIVE and naturalt44d Americans scat
tered throughout Austria and Hungary.
U. g. OFFICIAL eTATEME:. r.
! The state departments statement OF the
} negotiations Immediately preceding the
J break follows:
ION March 10 the department informed
, the American ambassador at Vienna thai
, thu government was sincerely DESTROYS
OF maintaining friendly relations with
Austria Hungary. and in order to accom-
plish this would be willing to g. as far al
It properly could.
"In recapitulating the whole question
. for Ambassador Penheld's guidance IT
his discussion Of the matter with the
Austrian foreign office, the department
! pointed out that the Austrian note OF
. January 81. declaring almost the same
: submarine danger zone as was declared
by Germany was received at the same
. day that Count Tarnowski arrived ir
" Washington; that 1t had been explain
cd to Count Tarnowski that this gov
. eminent could not possibly receive al
ambassador from Austria and at the
I same time dismiss the German ambas
. sador unless the ~Austrio- Hungarian
government could recede from the pc
y sition taken in Its submarine note; tina
70 Count Tarnowski had agreed and sug
gested the opening Of conversation II
the hope that some solution might b'
found; that the department had there
! upon instructed Mr.. Penheld to ash
the Austro- Hungarian government To-
: q re.statement OF Its position;
that the delicate position In which tn
!: Austro- Hungarian government foun'
itself was fully appreciated. but pubic
). opinion In the United States would no
y approve the reception at this momen
Of an Austrian Hungarian ambassador
in view Of the tact that the Austro
Hungarian government has declared III
= adherence to q method OF warfare pref
Y udicinR the vital interests OF the Uni
ted states and which had alread!
: caused the death Of more than 200 Am
erican citizens:
I "Ambaosador Fcnheld was instructed +
= say to the minister Of foreign affairs TIA
l. this government lamented the existin
!: situation and hoped that way might b
found TO eliminate tho differences. bu
that we should be glad to receive an
lsurgestions which the minister OF foreig
I AFFAIRS might have concerning the matte
Of the Austro-Hungarian government con
sidered the situation impossible Of con
. unuance.