New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-10-02
Tile CRISIS AT ATHENS.

The Rail- Ministry seems to have been beaten
in game of smart politics" The treaty of
peace with Turkey was signed fortnight ago
As soon as its terms were made pnDhc 'he'e
was a welnigh universal ouPurst Of dissent
and indignation. There was danger mat the
Government would be driven from Office. TO
avert such disaster to himself ana MS COZ
leagues ~ Rail- joined the popular side' Al
though the responsible head of the Govern
mcnt. he denounced the treaty as oppressive
and unjust That II was reckoned. wouid SET
him right with the people. Yet the trea'!
must go into force. and there was danger th''
the Ronle would refuse to ratify it. So he de-
vsed the plan OF withholding " from INC
Boule. 80 far as action was concerned He
laid the treaty before the Boule. but refused 10
submit n resolution for It's ratification. on the
ground that the treaty was purely ex"ci' We
affair and required no action ny the LeSisia'-
urc. To this the Boulc assented. ana had VI.
Rail- been content to stop there all might nave
been well with him. But he went step fur-
Their. and that proved 10 be step TOO far lie
asked for vote Of confidence. That aroused
the suspicious Of the Bonlc that he was play
ING an underhand game OF some sort. and the
vote OF confidence was OVERWHELMINGLY re-
fused.
II will he Of interest 10 recall at TINS TIME
the terms Of the treaty, or nj least or That part
Of IL 10 which Greece takes exception. Article
II is tho rock Of offence II contains three pro-
visions one Is thar Greece shall pay n war
indemnity OF f4.O0OOo0. or about $ls.Oon"D.
The second Is that she shall also pay the de-
faulted interest on her bonds. The mira -
that she shall place the receipt and adminiHra-
ton Of a portion Of her revenues Tor the Tore
going purposes. in the hands OF nm interna-
tional commission composed OF one representa-
tive OF each Of the six great Powers. Else
where II Is provided that the Powers and Tur-
key may make without consulting Greece, any
changes they please in the boundary line. In
the interest Of Turkey. The gst Of the matter
is. then, that Thessaly is 10 be spoatcd AM
the frontier made entirely indefenslble from
tho Greek side. and that the financial control
Of the Greek Government is TO pass for an in
definite time, perhaps forever. into foreign and
unfriendy hands. Against 50 harsh fate the
Greeks may well protest. Whether they would
he wise In actually rejecting the treaty may be
doubted for the probable alternative would b"
something worse. But no nation except ono or
slaves could be expected 10 assent unhcs
tatngly TO such disposition OF It's affairs as Is
contemplated by this treaty.
The most Objectionable feature Of the case
IS as hitherto explained. the dragging in Of the
bondholders' claims Let II be granted that
those claims are valid. and that Greece greatly
sinned in repudalng them Yet the dcfaulted
bonds were nor guaranteed 10y the Powers
and there seems 10 be no just reason why tho
Powers should intervene 10 compel payment Of
them. Those claims have absolutely no con
ncction with the Turkish war. and the forcing
Of settlement of them into the treaty for the
settlement OF the war certainly seems I'M ust-
fable II Is Just as though 4. in settling dis
putc between b and e. should compel also 10
pay some disputed claim Of -. and should
moreover, insist upon It's being settled In D's
own way The outcome of II all will be. no
doubt. the disappearance Of Greece from
among the Independent rationaliiics OF the
world. For the six alien brokers, representa-
tves Of her creditors. are 10 have an entirely
free hand in dealing with her revenues. No
term is fix ID for the duration of their control
Therefore. ms long as Greece has outstanding
single drachma Of Indebtedness OF which
interest is to be paid the BourSc spectators of
Europe will hold the key Of her national treas
ury. Before such a prospect VI. Rail- may be
congratulated on leaving Office more than his
successor on entering IL.