The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-04-07
Greek POpulace Besieges the
Kings Palace
ClamOring for an Immediate
Declaration of War.
RUSSIA PEACEMAKER.
Would Have Greeks and Turks
Retire From Crete.
Greece Promptly Rejects This
Proposition.

Athens, April 7.-Throughout yester-
day evening the palaces of King George
and Crown Prince Constantine We're
blazing with lights and the city gener-
ally was a mass of illumination in cele-
bration of the anniversary cf the dec
laration of Greek independence in 1921
Displays of fireworks were numerous
and in all parts of Athens there were
patriotic assemblages at which warlike
orations were delivered. the speakers
being greeted with cheers for the king
and for war.
During the evening there was a grand
military tattoo in which all the bands
in the city at their full strength took
part The whole population thronged
the streets, cheering everybody and
everything with enthusiasm.
The square in front of the kings pal-
ace was packed with people until a late
hour, all clamoring to see his majesty
and shouting for war
General Corenos, a retired military
man and a lifelong agitatOr, led the
biggest crowd which marched to the
kings palace yesterday afternoon. 1t
was evident from the excitement which
prevailed that the people are bent on
war unless all the demands of Greece
are acceded to by the powers.
The cabinet ministers assembled last
evening and were engaged until a late
hour in discussing the identical notes
which each of the representatives of
the powers handed yesterday to M
Skouzes, the Greek minister for foreign
affairs. It is believed that M. SkOu-
zes will deliver the reply Of Greece to
the representatives of the powers to-
day.
In the meanwhile it is rumored here
that Russia has, in addition, made a
separate proposal to the effect that if
Greece will consent to withdraw her
troops from the island of Crete, Rus
Sia will to obtain from Turkey
the withdrawal of the Turkish troops
from Crete so soon as the Greek evac-
uation is completed, and that Russia
viii further promise that Prince George
of Greece shall be sent as Greek
prince to Organize the Cretan gem
darfnes. Greece, according to report,
promptly rejected these propositions.
There was intense excitement yester-s
day at Larnaca, island of Cyprus, where
the Greek independence day was duly
celebrated by the Greeks and others.
In the evening there was a torchlight
procession to the Greek consulate, and
speeches in favor of the union of the
Island of Crete and Cyprus to Greece
were delivered The Turks were great
ly irritated at this pro-Greek demon
stration and a conflict between the pro-
cessionists and the Mussulmans was
with difficulty averted.
AT ElaSsOna, the Turkish headquar-
ters in Macedonia, the troops were placed
under arms long before sunrise. The
greatest tension prevailed during the
wore off as the hours passed without
any aggressive movement upon the part
of the Greeks Both sides are cOntinu-
ing their war preparations, erecting
earthWOrks and other defences and
Strengthening their position in the pass
es.
The demand made by Admiral Cane
varo, the Italian officer in command OF
the international feet in Cretan waters
to be relieved of his command, is said
here to be due to his opposition to the
plans drawn up for the blockade OF the
PieraeuS.
It is believed that some decided
change in the political situation must
take place before long, as the Turkish
government has plainly intimated to
the representatives of the powers that
the existing conditions cannot be al
lowed to prevail much longer
Every day of delay now benefits
Greece, which country was not so well
prepared as Turkey for war. The Ger
man officers ON the staff of Edham
Pasha, the Turkish COMMUNICATIVE chief
are not blind to the fact and are UNDER
stood to have made strong representa-
tiOnS on the subject. However, the pow
ers interested in preserving peace are
still working steadily in that direction
and all kinds of pressure is being
brought to bear upon both Turkey and
Greece in order TO prevent a clash of
arms on the frontier.
In view of the possibility of a block
ade of the PieFaeuS and other Greek
ports, the work of sending war mater
ial ammunition and stores has been
so actively pushed night and day since
the threat was first made that very lit
tie now remains to be shipped to the
front, so that the ostensible object OF
the blockade cannot be attained. For
a month past arms and ammunition
have been arriving here and elsewhere
from different foreign countries, and all
such consignments have since been sent
where they were most required