Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-04-19

laughed, crled, ana CneeISu' NOIlNh
clapped their hands. waved handker-
chiefs, threw kisses.
To a stranger the excitement seemed
inexplicable. But this is what it meant
the last of the regular army was or
dered TO the frontier. The only SOL
diers in Athens now are the garrisons,
the new recruits, and the volunteers.
PEOPLE ARE DISSATISFIED.
Such is the universal enthusiasm for
the war that this news was hailed as If
a great victory had been reported. For
the people have been impatient. They
say the King waits too long, They were
angry because Prince George has not
done something in Crete, because Prince
Constantine had not gone TO the ron
tier. because the nation is so poor, and
the King so rich: because the Queen is
Russian and the Crown Princess sis
ter of the hated Kaiser.
The soldiers are weary Of barrack
life aud long for action. One regiment,
ordered to the front. expressed its feel
ing by breaking into the handkerchief
dance. which in old times the village
youths and maidens danced together at
Eastertide-a sort of Greek May day,
when youth and love and laughter had
Ftheir will. and there were garlands Tor
every head. This year the dance Will
be 10 somewhat different music.
ANOTHER TRICOUPIS WANTED.
A foreigner can get no adequate
knowledge of Greek politics. But there
does seem. since Tricoupis died, plen-
tiful lack of first-class men. The ma
ton is unanimous for war and 1t has no
/ leader. no great statesman, no tried COM
mander Of the first rank. This Is the
alarming feature of the crisis. A recoS-
milton of il is seen in the revived popu-
larity of Tricoupis, the dead statesman,
who like so many of the greatest sons
of Hellas. rewarded by the nations in
gratitude. died out of power His grave
to-day is a mountain Of votive flowers,
and women go there to pray.
ENTHUSIASM OF THE WOMEN.
The women. as in every war for free
dom and justice, play great part, one
Athenian lady said to me: we know
what massacre means. Why our father
when an infant was hid in a cellar,
where the women and children were
huddled together for DAYS. and where
| if a baby walled too loud, ii was stran-
gled 10 death-to save the Others"
A Greek mother with two sons had
lust lost one in the bombardment The
other was in Egypt. The mother wrote
him: Your brother lies dead in Crete.
l wonder why my other son has not
/ come to offer his life for his country
/ Perhaps these noble women remember
that Arcadion which Europe has for
gotten. In 1866 the Cretan Christians
there gathered their families within
the walls Of convent. But the Turks
won; and the defenders Of the town
| fred the magazine of the convent and
! blew their own wives and children into
| the air.
SUFFERINGS OF THE CRETANS.
Greece is full of Cretans. There are
said TO be $1,000 in Attica alone. The
government can keep one Cretan from
starving for about two cents day. This
is what the Greeks expect after every
Cretan disaster, and many times the
| impoverished country has accepted the
enforced duty of this hospitality toward
the victims of Turkish misrule. Just
now the Athenian ladies are trying TO
find work for the thousands of poor,
half-starving people They let them
9 for the soldiers and for each other.
| But il is situation with which even
rich New York or Boston would find ii
hard 10 grapple And Greece at every
| turn feels the cruel pressure Of her pow
erty. A paper drachma, which ought
\ 10 be a franc. Is only worth an English
| sixpence. and even drachmRS are not
/ always forthcoming, for, though the
rich Greeks Of the Leyant and OF Ath-
ems have been pouring cut contribu-
lions for the war with magnificent pa
| triotism. every department is pinched.
! II is said that ammunition is abundant.
| The people furnish their own. But
| blankets are scarce and rations small.
| And behind the army and the modest
wealth Of the few cities lies the mass OF
| this brave little nation, living from
| hand to mouth. with frugality and abb
/ stemiousness not even the Italian peas
ant can surpasS.
THE FUTURE OUTLOOK.
It is hard to see what this poor. brave,
proud people will do Any northern
commonwealth would probably give up
in despair. But the despair of Greece
for that is what it is-takes the form OF
heroic resolve and an indomitable am
bition TO give the Greek race its right
! ful heritage. not only Crete, but Mace
! donna: TO exterminate the beastly Turk
ish power. and to give Hellas a sufficient
| basis Of territory TO maintain SELF
! supporting modern State.
In the meantime the Greek people IS
not ashamed of its august tradition OF
poverty. II can sleep on the ground
and live on berries. The sunny noun
/ tains bear many flowers-which means
| goats milk and honey. Then there are
always fish in the sea, and birds and
rabbits for the sharing.
Let the stupid greed and arrogance OF
| Germany and Russia blockade the Greek
ports if they will The whole Hellenic
! shore Is a harbor for the bold light
craft Of a nation Of seamen. In the
rocky defiles of the frontier, guerrilla
/ warfare can be kept up forever, and
even the shepherdesses in those parts
use knives and pistols very well.
Should England join the accomplices
of the Turk (Which yet We cannot be-
lieve) she will find the same spirit
which animated her own sea-rovers,
pirates of the sixteenth century: she