The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-03-07
Tho Greek Question.

It cannot be said that the latest news
from Europe throws much light on the sit
uation In Greek waters or on the policy OF
the powers. These latter, acting In con.
cert, have been able to agree In presenting
an identical note to the Greek Government,
calling on IL to withdraw it's naval and
military forces from Crete within six days
from tic date OF is presentation, ut the end
Of which period measures are TO be taken
TO enforce the demand. Greece gives no
indication as yet Of any intention of yield
Ing to the summons Of the powers there Is
no reason why she should. And the Turk,
before even replying to the note he has re-
ceived, wants to know the meaning Of some
OF the phrases that appear to him somewhat
ambiguous. Though quite ready to see the
Greeks turned out Of Crete. he discerns no
force in the proposition that he, too, must
retire to make room for some unknown sue
cessor, because, AS well as the Greeks, the
Sultan and his advisers know that the talk
about Cretan autonomy and the platitudes
about liberty for the Cretans are only Il
cloak for schemes not yet developed. The
expiration Of the six days allotted to
Greece will lift the curtain on n new scene,
ana Will snow now luT tne pOWcTS ac III
concert to do anything but talk.
Meanwhile 1t will be of interest to exam.
Inc n little closely the declarations made by
the leading statesmen Of some Of the powers
taking a prominent part in the Cretan dis
pute. They all, l Oru SALISBURY, Baron
BANFrY, speaking for Austria.H Hungary,
and the German Foreign Minister, Baron
MARscHALL Won ~BIEBEKsTEIN, have laid
down with emphasis that Greece shall
not be allowed to possess Crete; but the
latter went further, and intimated that
Greece, having procured the liberation Of
Crete from the Turk, should be content to
retire at the demand of the powers. At
the same time a warning was given to the
Balkan States that they must not move, as
no territory taken from the Turk would be
given to them. The meaning of this will
he perfectly clear to the minor States that
have been carved out of the European por-
tion Of the Ottoman empire.
II Italy is to be put in control of Crete,
and Austria Of Macedonia and Albania, it
will only he after a war In which every
State of Europe, great and small, except
perhaps Spain and Portugal, will take part /;
for the hatred Of the Greeks for Italy and Of
the Balkan States for Austria is only
equalled by that for the Turk. And
neither Russia nor France has ever
expressed sympathy with an Austrian
occupation Of Macedonia, although the
B~eaconsfield Salisbury Government en-
tered into a written agreement with
Austria, consenting to the advance to Sa-
lonica under given conditions. The execu-
tion Of such a plan as Is indicated in the
speeches and declarations Of the three
statesmen mentioned, will almost to a GER
tainty be resisted. 1t would only mean for
the Balkan States a long period Of unrest
and disturbance, ending eventually in their
disappearance from the map Of Europe as
political entities, and their absorption or
partition by one or the other of their more
powerful ~ncighbors.
This question thus presented to the Balkan
nationalities and the Turk in the present
juncture, Is literally one Of life or death.
King GEORGE of Greece put it in terse
language when he proclaimed his deter
mination to die at the head of his army
rather thar DO dishonored. The independ.
ent sovereigns Of the freed States are none
OF them willing to become the vassals of
the H%apsburgs, which is what they see is
intended; and the Cretans are resolved to
be Greeks. And who can ~foretell the end