The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-02-19
A HERO OF THE HOUR
PRINCE GEORGE OF GREECE AND THE
cRETAN TROUBLES.

He II m Athlete OF Herculean Sixe-Greece
and Russia Eoth Love Him-Comparison
OF the Greek and Turkish Nsvies- The
Island OF Crsts.
George of Greece is the second son of
King George and Queen Olga. He is a
Hercules in strength and stature, and
is the most popular member of the royal
family with the Greeks. He is larger
and handsomer than his brother, the
Grown Prince Constantine. and is the
most democratic scion of royalty in Eu-
rope. He does not hesitate to elbow his
way through Greek mob, goes where
he rleases unattended, and, accompanied
by q single companion, with his rife
slung over his shoulder, he goes hunt
ing in mountains lately, if not now. in
tested by brigands. He is afraid of
nothing. He was a revelation to his
cousin, the czar Of RusTa. who loves
him dearly. When the PRESENT czar went
ON an extended journey, Prince George
was invited to go with him. In Japan,
when a crank tried to kill Nicholas,
George promptly knocked the crank
down and thus saved the czar's life.
King George of Greece knew what he
was about when he put Prince George
in command of the torpedo flotilla
which has just left Athens for Crete.
Prince George is good sailor and a
good fighter. He is fearless, and, being
born Greek, he loves his classic land
devotedly. He will command that
squadron with daredevil courage, and it
will be q long time before the car of
Russia will take any step that jeopards
Prince Georges safety or position. The
Greeks adore him, and behind his back
they call him George" sometimes
"our George. In Patras and Athens /
have frequently heard them speak of
George" as affectionately as if he
were son instead Of q prince. II he
whips the Turks out of Crete-and /
fervently hope he will-he ought to be
made the Prince of Crete, as his brother,
Crown Prince Constantine, is the Prince
Of Sparta. t.
The island Of Crete is to the south Of
the mainland Of Greece and rightfully
belongs to that kingdom. The Cretans
have been in rebellion over 300 years.
They have fought many a battle when
the Turks were 30 to 1. Sometimes they
have routed the enemy, even against
such odds, and when they retreated it
was in good order to the mountains,
only to return and pounce upon the en-
emy's camp. The Cretans are fine types
Of Greeks, and it is the most fertile of
all the famous islands of Greece It's
population is about 275,000. But for
local half breeds and apostates and the
continual intervention Of the powers the
Cretans would long ago have driven the
Turks from their island. They are brave
and united and have long desired to re-
sumo their place as part Of Hellas.
They are part of an organization that
extends throughout Greece, the islands
Of the Ionian sea, the Grecian archi-
pe1ago, Macedonia and Constantinople
This is secret society, backed by i'm
mense wealth and vast numbers, the
object of which is the downfall Of the
sultan and the removal Of Turkey from
the map of the world At q concerted
signal there will be an awful uprising,
such as this century has not seen. The
timA.ans not yet come to strike, but it
is near at hand, and if the organization
succeeds Macedonia, Crete and Constan-
tinople will once more belong to the
kingdom of Greece.
The eastern question need not disrupt
Europe An educated Armenian told me
his people preferred to owe allegiance
to the czar rather than the sultan. Their
religion is similar to that of the Rus
sian, and the Turk has been more cruel
to the Armenian than he ever would
have dared to be to the Greek. Two
thousand years Of slavery to the Turk
has made coward of the Armenian
Two thousand years Of warfare against
the Turk has made a very devil Of the
Greek, especially the Cretan, and he
goes armed and anxious for q chance to
kill his mortal enemy.
A Greek jury never thinks Of consid-
ering the verdict Of man whose fault
has been to kill Turk. He is acquitted
Immediately and is feted and toasted
for weeks afterward. There is Cretan
often seensin Athens who was banished
from Crete by mongrel jury after he
confessed to having killed l8 Turks. He
goes back to Crete whenever there is q
row ON foot, but rather likes remaining
ON the mainland in times Of peace be-
cause the women all make demigod of
him and every home in Greece is open
to him. He is a grandson Of famous
Cretan general who was butchered by
the Turks.
The Turkish navy 10 in q bad condi-
tion. The 10 men-of-war she has had
within the Golden Horn for months are
in wretched state, their engines being
almost useless. Turkey has concentrated
her power in the forts that command
the Dardanelles. Here she has new and
powerful krupp guns and the swiftly
flowing current between these two
frowning battlements makes its way
A. I-AA a. - 49,