A PERPLEXED AMBASSADOR The beginning of the new year saw no improvement in German-American relations.

Germany and Austria continued to violate the pledge given by Bernstorff after the sinking of the _Arabic_--if that shifty statement could be regarded as a "pledge." On November 7, 1915, the Austrians sank the _Ancona_, in the Mediterranean, drowning American citizens under conditions of particular atrocity, and submarine attacks on merchant ships, without the "warning" or attempt to save passengers and crew which Bernstorff had promised, took place nearly every day.

On April 18, 1916, the _Sussex_ was torpedoed in the English Channel, without warning and with loss of American life.

This caused what seemed to be a real crisis; President Wilson sent what was practically an ultimatum to Germany, demanding that it "immediately declare and effect an abandonment of its present methods of warfare against passenger and freight carrying vessels," declaring that, unless it did so, the United States would sever diplomatic relations with the German Empire.

In reply, Germany apparently backed down and gave the promise the President had demanded.