865.857 An 2/71
The Secretary of State to President Wilson
My Dear Mr. President: I send you herewith the text of the Austrian reply in the Ancona case.77 My own view is that it is a special pleading consisting of technicalities and quibbles. I believe it would be a mistake to reply to it in detail and that the best course is to send a short and firm note, avoiding argument of legal points and discussion of facts. We can rest the whole case on the Admiralty’s admission that the vessel was torpedoed while she was standing still and while people were on board. It seems to me that it would be most unwise to elaborate in our reply.
I realize that such a course may invite serious consequences and yet I do not see how we can consistently recede from our position or enter into any correspondence, such as the Austrian Government appears to be desirous of doing.
I will prepare at once a draft reply, possibly I can send it to you tonight, for I think our answer should go within two or three days.
Faithfully yours,