Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-05-12
THE PART OF GREECE.

Since the Greeks have suffered
almost overwhelming de eat at the
hands OF a Turkish army vastly supe'
rlor In numbers, 1t has become quite
popular to make unco mplimentaty
remarks concerning the courage and
capability OF the Greek ttoopf; anu
certainly there seems to be good res-
son for the charge Of poor generslship
In the conduct OF the war-a charge
which the Greek troops and valiant
under Ulcers such as General
Smolenski evidently believe to
be true. At the same time
there is another view to the situation
than that OF reproaching the Greeks,
and this is presented 81 foroibly AID
clearly In an editorial in the Spring
field, Mass, Republican that we re-
produce the article mere:
There is plethora OF silly criticism OF
Greece floating about because she has
failed to overpower the Turks. As II
success or failure at arms settled the
right and wrong OF thingsl In this case
the cause of Greece Is as worthy OF ones
sympathy as ii was three weeks ago.
Her courage from first 10 last has been
superb, and her honor will remain I'M
furnished by rout, defeat or even ami
hilation.
So far as the military reverses OF
Greece are concerned, who eXpec cd con-
trary results, supposiug thai the war
were confined to Turkey and Greece? IL
was recognized at the outset that the
main hope of tho Greeks was to be aided
by insurgents in Macedonia or by the
Balkan states. But no aid has come to
them. Secure in their rear, the Turks
have been able to concentrate all their
strength upon driving their army, like a
wedge, through the heart OF Thessaly
This result has been brought about by
the great powers OF Europe, which have
used every influence to keep possible
allies of Greece out of the contest in Or
der that her defeat and humiliation
might be rapid and complete. They
have kept strong hands on Bulgaria,
Servia and Montenegro, while openly
aiding the Turks in blockading The
island OF Cree.
Greece, then, has been stru ggling sim
gle handed against the whole OF Europe.
When before has so small power defied
such colossal force2 1t matters not how
severely she is beaten, nor how quickly;
the nOnlT anu glory OF having taken
such II stand cannot be taken from her,
any more than the Turks, backed by al
mighty Europe, can claim the faintest
title TO honor and glory for having
crushed u weakling to The earth. History
will not measure the performance OF
Greece by her feats of arms; IL will
measure it by the initial righteousness
of the position she assumed toward
Turkish rule, and that is beyond re-
proach.
But how will Europe fare in the histor-
ian's pages? The acts OF the concert in this
tragedy will not be tested by the fact that
the Greeks fled in disorder from Larissa;
they will not be vindicated by the
Triumphant march OF Edhem Pasha,
directed ut every turn by the ablest
STRAIT egists OF The German emperor. The
course Of Europe will be tested by the
results of This affair upon civilization,
and how Turkish victories and the
triumphant invasion OF Christian terri
tory By Moslem hOrdes can in the end
advance tho best interests OF mankind,
remains mystery.
No Greek has anything to regret for
the course his country has pursued.
Submission 20 overwhelming force will
have hothing di- Honorable in IL; the role
OF the defeated in this case is tar more
glorious than that of the conqueror