Note 21 — Chapter V · WAR, REVOLUTION AND COUNTER-REVOLUTION

An interesting picture is given of the inactivity and lack of initiative of the White Government when a bold move on its part might have saved Hungary from the ignominy of salvation at the hands of her late enemies the Rumanians, is given by MM. Jerome and Jean Thiraud, in their book, Quand Israel est Roi (Paris, Plon-Nourrit et Cie). “They were French officers who went to seek at Vienna, where they have taken refuge, Count Teleki and his friends, in order to put them at the head of the Government of Szeged. But few magnates, however, elected to follow them, the majority of these gentlemen preferring to remain in Vienna at the famous Hotel Sacher, where they lived on the fat of the land and wasted their money in gambling. It was by virtue of a French safe conduct, and escorted by French officers, that Count Teleki and a few others were enabled to cross the Hungary of Bela Kun without hindrance. It was under the protection of our troops, under the friendly eyes of our Staff, that they were able to organise their Ministry and their army. If they had shown at once a greater promptitude of decision, if they had wasted less time in futile discussion and in mutual recrimination, if the odd thousands of officers who were collected at Szeged had resolutely marched upon Budapest with the arms and munitions which we had lent them, they would have secured on the way to support of many of the peasants of the Plain, and would perhaps have overthrown the Bolshevik forces, already almost dissolved. Instead of that, they schemed and made merry at Szeged, and allowed the Supreme Council time to declare that it did not recognise this reactionary Government.”