The Washington times., 1917-02-21
PACIFISTS SILENCED
BYDALBEATIE CASE
Latest News From Vienna Also
Adds to Fears of
Officials.
Continued from First PaRel

CONTINUED from First Page.)
struction of the Dalbeatie, officials
I here discern every element of a policy
of ruthlessness on the part of Ger
man submarines comparable in every
way with the policy that led to the
submarine terrorism, of two years
back.
Circumstances of Attack.
A neutral merchant vessel, unarmed
and without wireless facilities for
summoning aid, is attacked thirty
miles at sea in rough weather. A
shell Is fired. The steamer stops and
indicates her intention to surrender.
But the submarine does not stop
firing. A rain of shells pours down
upon the crippled vessel and all
around it as the crew of the mer-
chantman seeks frantically to lower
lifeboat in the heavy sea. No aid
Is offered the wretches as they pull
away from the doomed ship.
Its work done, the submarine slips
away, leaving the men in the open
lifeboat to battle for fourteen and a
half hours in the bitter cold.
Two Americans are among the
crew. When the handful of men is
finally rescued. one of the Americans
Frank Wood, OF Keene, N. H, is
found to be half dead from exposure.
He is now in a critical condition in
q hospital near Liverpool.
Not the covert Act" Il
Was this the covert act?" Appar-
emily not. from the guarded express
sions OF officials, though they ad-
mitted that the incident contains
every element of piratical warfare
against which the United States
Government has inveighed for two
years in notes to the central powers.
The ship was attacked without
warning and without consideration
being given for the safety of those
on board. The lives OF two Ameri-
cans were placed in dire jeopardy!
In May, 1916. the United States,
under threat of q severance of diplo-
matte relations, exacted from Ger
many a pledge that henceforth she
would not attack merchant vessels.
passenger or freight. without warn
ing or without consideration for the
safety OF passengers and crew.
On February of this year. Presi-
dent Wilson severed diplomatic rela-
man war zone decree repudiated this
pledge. And he gave warning that IL
an covert act was committed involv-
ing the lives or property of Amer
leans, he would appear before Con-
gress again to ask authority to take
measures for the protection of Amer
lean life and property.
General Interpretation.
This promise was interpreted as
meaning that he would ask Congress
for a declaration of war.
Officials will not say the case of the
Dalbeatie constituted the covert act"
They do declare that the President,
though intending to appear before
Congress before adjournment, has no
intention of asking a declaration OF
war.
Both at the State Department and
the White House today there was a
to discuss the Austrian
situation, though press dispatches
from Vienna and Berlin indicate
plainly that no justification exists for
the hope that has been held here that |
Austria would withdraw from her al |
legiance to the German decree.
Ambassador Penfield. acting, Il is
known, under instructions from |
" lOHs pECbNhNru al
memoire" to the foreign office at |
Vienna reminding the Austrian gov
ernment of the understanding which |
had been reached between the two |
governments anent the Ancona case,
and requesting to know whether Aug |
tria has abandoned the position then |
taken.
No Access Possible.
No access is yet possible to Aus
trials official reply, but press dis |
patches from Berlin and VIenaa in !
dicate plainly that Austria has no !
more compunction than has Germany /
about breaking promises. Whether |
these press reports are justified will /
not be known until Penfleld has made !
full report, but there is no question I
but that officials here regard the |
outlook obviously.
Naturally, 1t is felt generally in |
Washington today that Count Tar I
nowski, the new Austrian Ambassador /
must shortly follow the route recent |
ly taken by Count Won Bernstorff, /
the German ambassador. Although |
he has been here more than two |
weeks, Tarnowski has not yet been /
given opportunity to present his cre-
dentials.
Has No False Hopes.
Evidently he has entertained no