Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-02-27
GREEK CRISIS AND CRETAN PROBLEM

| Ing the confidence of the crown and cham
| Der, was obliged to resign. Now" said
NJ Theotokis when we pass beyond the
| constitution in order to convoke the ma
| tional assembly, il must be borne in mind
| that 1t is not the first time we pass be-
yond the constitution. but 1t is. perhaps.
| the only chance we may have to return
to the constitution. For a fact. the Mill
| tary League. having attained its object.
promises to dissolve, and have made my
| adhesion to depend upon that condition"
=.
| No one more than NJ. Theotokis under
stands the possible difficulties of the as
| sembly. 1t was for this
| Choice of reason that he protested
| n. in the beginning on the
O@Ase1s. score of it's futility and
its danger. But. upon reflection. he was
convinced that there was no greater dam
ger than a prolongation Of the actual sit
uation. The danger is not eventual. 1t was
present. certain and agonizing. They had
no right. therefore. to put aside the only
solution which permitted them to escape
| the peril. 1t would return the army to
its military task, and assure the normal
working of the institutions of state. Be-
| sides. the risks which may attach to the
convocation of the assembly will be pre-
| vented by resolution which should be
insisted upon, to limit the sphere OF the i
| assembly to the revision OF the non-fun-
| damental articles OF the constitution And
M. Theotokis added: 1T is said. who will
prevent the assembly from Transforming it
| self into 'constituante'? / reply: The
| patriotism of air chiefs of parties who
were in entire accord during the late cri-
sis, and that is the best guarantee for the
| future
These declarations of NJ Theotokis are
remarkably interesting for their scope and
| sincerity. 1t is to be remarked that the
| former minister does not differ I'm his
appreciation Of the role of the Military
public opinion. He charged the league
distinctly with having broken in Greece
| all the legal methods, and why? To have
convoked an assembly which has no rea-
inevitable and sacrificed his personal in
| terests to the greater necessity OF snatch
ing Greece from the grasp of a military
dictatorship. His attitude was that of a
| far-seeing patriot whose opportunism is
inspired by just view of the public in
| terests
The decision taken by the king in ac-
cord with the chiefs of all parties has not
been attended by trouble. The royal mes
| sage indicated the articles of the consti-
tuition which would be revised: these are
with others. the irremovability of judges,
| the electoral law. law OF recruit
| the re-establishment of the council of
state
| The king Is reported to have been re-
assured by a conversation with NJ. Theo-
| tokis and Rhallys. But, instructed by the
past. 1t will not be well TO count too
much upon what will occur in Greece.
| The Military League has promised to
dissolve; but until it is an accomplished
| ho cd tn
| Judgment
| The pessimst affirms. besides, that there
are other grave problems which hold
| Greece as in an mex
| Problems tricable wise. A mong
| these is the Cretan prob
lem, which is again being
discussed as leading Inevitably to a Greco
| Turkish conflict. The protective powers,
| apparently unconscious of this danger I'M
| til now, have made finally such represen-
tations to Crete as to prevent such a
! catastrophe. The danger, besides. is not
alone in Crete, but in Athens, where it is
reported the Cretan deputies wifi be ad-
mitted to the national assembly IL they
present themselves.
Crete. it should be recalled has certain
presidents to substantiate- her claims to
| representation. Cretan deputies sat in the
assembly at Athens during the Greek
! revolution of 1921 as Hellenic PROV
ince.' In the national assembly of 1863
| the Greek communities in Turkey, Rou-
| mania. Egypt, and even from England.
We're represented, to the number of thir-
| ty-nine deputies. Also. during the Gre
tan revolution Of 1S66-69 Cretan deputies
were admitted to the national assembly
at Athens Should Cretan deputies ar
] rive in Athens, 1t is almost certain they
| will be admitted to the assembly or there
ton against the Greek government. On
the other hand. it is equally certain Tu-
key will seize the occasion to affirm anew
her suzerainty over Crete, and the prob
| lem then becomes one which the powers
alone may solve.
| The Temps of Paris utters a cry of
alarm. Greece, it maintains, is no strong
err than she was ten years ago. She is
| weaker, for a fact. In order to take the
place which belongs to her in the east,
Greece requires years of repose and medi-
tation. That 1t should be painful to
Greece to shut the gates Of the city
against the Cretans is conceivable. But
| there are hours in the life Of nations, as
| in the life Of an individual. when the
| first duty is to struggle for its existence.
Greece has arrived at one OF those hours
| If she admits the Cretans to her national
assembly. she condemns herself to death.
| ana Wflen the IuTkS are In IncSSaly no
one can tell who will put them out, and
| the Temps says:
''How can they forget at Athens the les
son Of a recent experience? The Young
Turks, also. in a moment
Plain of imprudent pride. wished
Lessons. n,oh.n, r .o.e .ne Nou,
Herzegovinians Ottoman subjects also.
That was enough, although the strict
right in that affair was with Turkey
| Austria Hungary annexed Bosnia-Herze-