Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-10-10

istry Of NJ Mavromichalis was more
obligdng than that Of NJ. Rhallys and the
onncial journal of September published
DEGREES in which the Princes Christophoros
and Georgios. the son OF the crown prince.
were dismissed from the army. The is
sues Of the journal Of the Sth and the 9th
contained DEGREES Diminishing the crown
prince and Prince Nicolaos. his brother.
both Of whom quilted Greece for an inded
mite sojourn in Germany.
IS
The Emperor Of Germany. 1t is evident.
could not be entirely disinterested in
events which might seri-
Williams ously affect the reigninG
rn+.r..+ family in Greece. Prince
konstantinos. 1t IL re-
called. married in 1889 the Princess So
phia of Prussia. the sister Of the Emperor
William. A correspondent from Berlin
declared that when the emperor learned
Of what was occurring at Athens he i'm
called upon his chancellor.
to know what was
going on In Greece, and that as q result
OF the conference the official press OF
Germany was notified that It should sug-
gest to the leaders Of the Grecian mill
tary revolt that they should proceed with
prudence.
The pronunciamento Of Athens was d.
rected not only against the abuse Of par
but against the royal lam
lily. King Georgios was once very popu-
lar, but for several years the tie has
been sensibly slackened. This has been
difference Of the king. who having sur
rounded himself by such really remark
able men as Delegeorgios. Koumoundour-
os, Tricoupis and Deiyanni. assumed that
he could govern but through them.
After the war OF 1897 the nation muir
INJURED loudly at the condition Of affairs
and demanded that the king suppress the
abuses and errors committed. The king
promised. but confident in the wisdom OF
his ministers he did nothing. The con-
powers to remedy the evils. but he never
exercised them. The royal family was
reproached with surrounding itself with
unworthy persons. This accusation was
made with reference to the associates OF
the crown prince. which had detracted
from the dignity Of the crown. The king
was said to have been too frequently alb
sent from Greece, and that Queen Olga
remained several months Of the year In
Russia; that she visited Russian war
vessels and seldom II ever conferred that
honor upon Greek ships: that Queen Olga
insisted that her daughters should marry
grand dukes Of Russia. when Greek prin-
cesses might have become queens Of Italy
become wearied and Inundated by this
long-continued indifference and detach-
ment from the affairs Of Greece. and tho
king and queen. the crown prince and
princess. the whole royal family, in fact.
had come to be regarded by tho public as
hostile to Greece.
There IL some truth in these accusa-
tons, and this may be confessed without
according the right to the
Proposed army to say It. The pro-
p-..-.- nunciamento contains for
q fact an excellent pro-
gram. It demands the re-establishment
OF two years compulsory service. the aug
mentation Of the army. the necessity of
foreign instructors and the reform Of the
military administration. It recommended
the sale Of old vessels Of war and the
Of new unities. the reduc-
ton of the number Of royal yachts. tho
OF the post Of commander-in-
chief and the privileges accorded the
princes. It Is needless to add that these
matters do not concern the army,
but belong Of right to the chamber.
whose duty it was to do what the army
has undertaken to do.
Unfortunately. neither the parliament
nor the government is without reproach
In this miserable affair. No chief Of
party has taken upon himself measures
which were required by so grave situa-
ton. The resignation Of the president of
of the mutineers. under Lieut.. Hadjimi-
chalis. was a confession OF weakness and
incapacity. NJ. Rhallys, who was thought
to be energetic. felt himself outflanked
and surrendered his portfolio. It remains
to be seen of what stuff NJ. Mavromichalis
Is made.
That the above cited men should have so
quickly abandoned power is evidence that
the situation is perhaps more difficult, II
not impossible, than it appears from this
distance.
It is urged in favor of King Georg1os and
Queen Olga that their frequent absence
from the kingdom has been inspired prin-
cipally by the necessity OF guaranteeing
the international situation Of Greece. It
was this which secured the recognition of
Prince Georgios as high commissioner in
Crete, achieved reconciliation with Italy
and good relations with Germany, and
finally attracted to Athens the visits OF
foreign sovereigns and the solution OF all
Olga has remained Russian princess. 1t
Is charged. That may be true, but 1t Is
certainly true also that 1t was to the
prayers Of that Russian princess that the
car yielded, sent to Constantinople the
dispatch which halted the Ottoman army.
The abdication Of King Georgios
would bring upon Greece new complica-
lions, which might threaten even her au-
The crown prince, besides, is no
moro popular than the king, whose main
tenance on the throne will be insisted
upon by the protecting powers as the sine
qua non Of the conservation Of tho dy-
nasty.
The situation at this writing has been
further aggravated by public manifesto
lions in favor Of the crown prince at
Patras and Corfou. where the latter de-
clared himself in favor Of maintaining
the post Of general-in-chief Of the army,
despite the ministerial decree eliminating
him therefrom. NJ. Theotokis, former min
lister, has added fuel to the flames by the
declaration that the actual chamber has
no authority to vote the proposed meas
ure, and that 1t should be dissolved in or
der that the nation in new elections might
express it's will. The press Of Athens is
unanimous in its opposition and denuncia-
ton Of NJ. Theotokis.
The crisis has brought to light the de-
fects of government in all its branches.
The chamber. which was convoked to meet
on the ed instant, will be the scene OF
grave disclosures and perhaps Of violent
For the love we bear long
Greece let us hope that NJ.
is the man for the hour
and that he may save the nation from
revolution and ruin.
CHI. CHAILLE-LONG.