ts to which they were accredited that "the action as well
as the demands of the Austro-Hungarian Government can be viewed only as
justifiable. . . . [If the demands were refused] nothing would remain
for it, but to enforce the same by appeal to military measures, in
regard to which the choice of means must be left to it." (Off. Dip.
Doc., p. 60.)

Is it credible that the German Government would have pronounced a
judgment so important, so far-reaching in its foreseen consequences, if
it had had no previous knowledge of the "action and demands" of Austria?

(6) On July 23, 1914, the French Minister at Munich telegraphed his
Government as follows: "The President of the Council said to me to-day
that the Austrian ultimatum, the contents of which were known to him,
seemed to him couched in terms which Servia could accept, but that,
nevertheless, the actual situation appeared to him serious." (Off. Dip.
Doc., p. 59.)

How did this gentleman in Munich come to know about the ultimatum, while
the gentlemen in Berlin professed ignorance?

(7) On July 25, 1914, the Russian Government was officially informed
that: "Germany as the ally of Austria naturally supports the claims made
by the Vienna Cabinet against Servia, which she considers justified."
(Off. Dip. Doc., p. 173.)

This was a very grave declaration, in view of the public announcement
which the Russian Government had made on the same day: "Recent events
and the despatch of an ultimatum to Servia by Austria-Hungary are
causing the Russian Government the greatest anxiety. The Government are
closely following the course of the dispute between the two countries,
to which Russia cannot remain indifferent." (Off. Dip. Doc., p. 170.)

Certainly Germany would not have come to the serious decision of giving
unqualified support to the claims of Austria as against the expressed
interests of Russia, unless she had long known and had full time to
consider those claims and what they would involve.

(8) On July 30, 1914, the British Ambassador in Vienna telegraphed to
his Government: "I have private information that the German Ambassador
knew the text of the Austrian ultimatum to Servia before it was
despatched, and telegraphed it to the German Emperor. I know from the
German Ambassador himself that he indorses every line of it." (Off. Dip.
Doc., p. 330.)

(9) Count Bernstorff, German Ambassador at Washington, published an
article in The Independent, New York, September 7, 1914.