Page:The guilt of William Hohenzollern.djvu/117

Rh Dr. Gooss must acknowledge this awkward fact; he tries to extricate himself, or rather the Bethmann Government, by declaring that the text of the Note had been able to reach the Foreign Office in Berlin

""Only at a time in which any influencing of the Vienna Cabinet by means of detailed conferences and propositions was no longer possible.""

In his book on the outbreak of the world-war, Herr von Jagow states that Count Szogyeny came to him on July 22nd, between 7 and 8 p.m., bringing the Ultimatum.

"" After Count Szogyeny' s visit, a notification of the Ultimatum from our Ambassador in Vienna, which had meanwhile arrived, was then handed to me." (Page 110.)"

This delay is surely remarkable. The Ultimatum took over twenty-four hours to come from Vienna to Berlin! But even then there was time enough to prevent its delivery in Belgrade, if they had wanted to do so. Jagow asserts he at once said the Note was "amply sharp and overshot the mark." The Imperial Chancellor was, he declares, of the same opinion.

""Count Szögyeny replied that couldn't be helped now, as the Ultimatum had already been sent to Belgrade, and was to be delivered next morning.""

And thereby Imperial Chancellor and State Secretary were reassured.