New Britain herald., 1917-04-11
zWEIDENEk POLITE
 ID LAST MOMENT
Calls at State Department to Bid
 America Farewell

Washdngton April 11-Baron Zwci- denek, Austro- Hungarian charge d. affairs, called at the state department late yesterday and bade Secretary Lansing farewell. This was in con- trast to the failure of Count vou Bern storff. the dismissed German ambassa- dor, to make 8 farewell visit, and was construed as meaning that behind the a action of the Vienna government in severing relations with America there : is not the strong feeling that charac- terized the severance with Germany.
 Arrangements now are under way for the recalled Austrian diplomatic and consular officials to join with the party of German officials dismissed from China and who are due at San Francisco the last part of the week. The two parties will meet in New York just as soon as possible and go over the same route followed by Count von Bernstorff, stopping for examn- 2 ation at Halifax, and landing in Dem mark.
 The state department is endeavor- ing to obtain accommodations for them on the line1 Ryndan. now at New York, or the Stockholm, which has been at Halifax for some time It is estimated there will be about 140 in the Austrian party and 27 in the first of the two German parties from China. who will go with the Austrians. The American ambassadors to Lon- don and Paris have been instructed to ask for safe conducts ~
 Austria's note to American Charge Grew at Vienna severing relations
 -,fk every facility for the return of Amer
 ican officials in Austria was made
 public at the state department with an official statement as follows:
 'The following despatch, dated
 April 8, from American Charge d.
 Affairs, Vienna, has been received by
 the department of state: Minister for foreign affairs has just informed me that the diplomatic relations between the United States and Austria-Hungary are broken and
 has handed me passports for myself and the members of the embassy. He states that we may leave the mon- archy at our convenience and that every possible courtesy will be ex- tended. Am telegraphing consuls to arrange their affairs and proceed to Vienna, with view to leaving for 1 Switzerland if possible at end of week. "'FollSwng is translation of note l handed me by minister:
 Since the United States of Amer l ica has declared a state of war ex- ists between it and the Imperial Ger man Government, Austria kpAlgary, as allies of the German Empire. have decided to break off the diplomatic relations with the United States, and the imperial and royal embassy at Washington has been instructed to inform the department of state to that effect.
 "'While regretting under these cir cumstances to see a termination of the personal relations which he has had the honor to hold with the carge d'affaires of the United States of America, the undersigned does not fail to place at the formers disposal herewith the passports for the de- parture from Austria Hungary of himself and the other members of tho embassy.
 "'At the same time the under signed avails himself of the opportun- ity to renew to the charge d. affairs the expression of his most perfect consideration. (Signed) 'CZERNIN.'
 It is believed in official circles that if Turkey follows the example of Aus
 tria- a-Hungary the only means by
 which Ambassador Abram I. Elkus.
 the other members of the American
 embassy in Constantinople. and the
 United States consular officers may be
 able to leave Turkey will be on the
 embassy launch Scorpion, converted
 gunboat, which has been at Constant
 inople since the opening of the war. It has not been overlooked that Turkey, following the precedent of the United States in seizing German and Austro- Hungarian vessels in American
 waters may seize the Scorpion and 1t is admitted that such action would be extremely embarrassing. The Scorpion if permitted to bring out the American officials. would probably deliver them at Greek port, possibly Sa1oniki al- though, If safe conduct for the vessel could be obtained from Germany and Austria-Huhgary, she might go to Spanish port.
 Should safe conduct be denied. it would be possible for the party to go overland the greater part of the way to France after leaving Greece, whence they would proceed to Span- ish port for passage to America.