New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-03-05
IF GREECE STANDS FIRM?

The Great Powers are doing lot or taking,
protesting, even clustering. But II Greece
stands firm in the position she has taken, what
then? As already shown, the Powers, through
| their dIatoriness. are responsible for the pres
cpt crisis in Crete Months ago they decreed re-
| organization Of the gendarmery, but delayed to
execute it. That gave opportunity and invita-
ton for instruction. When the revolt came
they again temporized. Had they acted prompt
". forbidden Greece to interfere, and carried
out the guaranteed reforms. the outbreak would
have subsidized in day. Even later than that'
even after the Greek occupation, had they or
dcred Greece TO withdraw and established au-
tOnOmy like that Of Samos-such as they are
now promlsing-al would have been well.
Greece would have withdrawn and Crete would
have been satisfied But they did not. They
let matters drift until full occupation and prac-
teal annexation of the island by Greece had
become an accomplished fact. and both Crete
and Greece had become so determined TO main
tain that status that recession from 1t Is now
to be effected only by overwhelming force. And
now they send to Greece not strong collective
note. but six weak identical notes. not COM
handing. but merely requesting, that she will
withdraw.
Suppose she refuses? 1t is intimated that
coercion will be applied. We'll. it might be init
mated that n railroad will be built to the moon
No doubt Russia and Germany are ready to APP
DIV coercion The one would drive Greece out
of Crete because she wants the latter herself,
to be her naval station in the Eastern Meditcr-
ranean. The other would do 1t, and would bonn
bard Athens, because the Emperor Is angry
with his sister for not dutifully asking his con-
sent TO her change of faith when she married
the Greek Crown Prince For such causes
would these Great Powers crush a Christian
nation and force Crete pack beneath the Turk
isl yoke. II is not 10 be conceived that any
other Of the Great Powers would be moved by
such motives. 1t is not possible to imagine the
Prime Minister of one Of them saying. I'VE
would not fire a shot TO save Christian Ar
''mena from Turkish despotism, but we will go
"to war with Greece and crush her to prevent
''her from saving Crete from that same despot
ISM Or If one Of them should say it. it is
quite easy TO imagine an indignant popular rev.
olution following quickly upon his words.
If Greece stands firm: The only reasonable
suppOsition is that two or three OF the Great
Powers will acGuicscc. They may do re-
luctantly. protcstingly. but they will do So
Great Britain. France and Italy will. They will
say, ut is an awkward fact, but it Is an accom-
plished fact. and it must stand But that will
destroy the European concert and cause gen.
cial war: Hardly. If those three Powers, or
one Of them, refuses to agree to the forciblc CO.
ercion Of Greece Russia and Germany may be
angry, but they will not go ID war over it. and
they will not attempt the coercion singlc-hand-
cd Last year. it will be remembered, they
wanted 10 blockade Crete against Greek ships
and Great Britain refused TO do it. and so it was
rot done. No Power is going TO start naval
war in the Mediterranean against or without
the cooperation of, the three great naval
Powers in those waters.
Therefore II Greece holds her ground, there Is
ir prospect that she will win. True, there is
talk about Turkey going to war with her on
land, and Turkey could doubtless whip her il
they were left to fight it out between them
But would they be thus left? 1t is not conceiva-
ble that the Great Powers would permit such
a stirring up of the big Balkan hornets nest:
or if they did. il would be only to take hands in
the fight themselves and that would mean the
extinction of the Ottoman Empire in Europe
Austria Hungary is suspicously quiet Just
now. But may be sure she Is keeping
her eye fixed on Salonica with uncommon in
tcn,ness, and If Turkey should send an army
from Thrace toward Thessaly the odds are it
would find an obstacle in the Vardar Valley i'm
the form of an Austrian army Of occupation
No. there is little danger for Greece in that quar-
ter or In any other, If she acts with frmness
and discretion. 1t has been said she is trying
TO bluff the Powers. 1t Is not so. They are
trying to "bluff' her But she knows the
strength Of her own hand and the weakness of
theirs. If she stands firm she will win the great
game in spite Of them all, and it now looks very
nuch as though that Is just what she is going
| TO do.