New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-07-26
Crown Prince Again Heads Army.

OrreeCe's Crown Prince has by an over
whelming vote Of the national legislature
at Athens been restored TO his former post
as inspector general Of the army
II may be recalled that the military pro
nunciamento. which some three years ago
was issued at Athens. reducing the crown
and the Cabinet 10 impotency and suhst-
tuting I'm their stead a military oligarchy Of
the most tyrannical character. gave as one
Of the chief pretexts for its action the
necessity OF removing tho Crown Prince
from his position of inspector general Of
the army and OF severing his connection
with the latter by the resignation OF his
commission.
In fact the military iunta actually forced
him TO leave the country and 10 reside
abroad. at the same time depriving both
his brothers and his sons Of their commits
sions. Their aversion 10 the Crown Prince
is due to the fact that. having received his
military training al Berlin. he Is possessed
of ideas OF discipline and Of military eX-
perience and ethics all wholly foreign to
Greek officers and to their soldiers. who,
from a military point OF view. are a mere
Joke, and have little remaining of that
heroism which enabled them to win their
independence from the Turks nearly a
hundred years ago
OF course. King George was anxious
10 abdicate after this affront had been
placed on his children. But at the pressing
instance Of the great powers he remained
at Athens bearing himself with the ut
most dignity, and encouraged in his mo-
nents of greatest bitterness and depres-
sion by the assurances which he received
from some Of the older and more expert
enced Greek statesmen that the nation
would soon tire of its military despots,
turn them out Of Office and call for a res
toration OF the old order of things.
These predictions were realized, for with
in two weeks after the Crown Prince had
given orders FOR the removal Of all his be
longings from Athens 10 St Petersburg,
where he had accepted an offer from his
kinsman. the Gar. TO enter the service Of
the Russian army. with the promise of an
important command. he received a notice
from his father that the tide had turned in
Greece, that better times were at hand
and TO suspend the arrangements for the
removal Of hs belongings 10 St Peters
burg. About three months later the Crown
Prince returned TO Greece on the invita-
ton OF the national legislature and Of the
municipality OF Athens where he was re-
ceived with the utmost enthusiasm and
reclamation.
Now he has been restored 70 his former
military dgnities, and after having under
gone a very severe trial has resumed his
place at the head Of the army, with in
creased prestige and influence. In fact the
manner In which he has borne himself dur
ing the last two years has served to con-
vince not only the Greeks themselves, but
also the foreign powers. that when the
time comes for him TO take his fathers
place on the throne az Athens he will show
himself 10 be an even still more sagacious.
able and, above all energetic ruler Of the
most unruly and troublesome nation Of
Europe.
The Crown Prince is married 70 Princess
Sophia. OF Prussia. sister Of the Kaiser,
whom she deeply offended years ago by
becoming A convert to the Greek national
church and abjuring Lutheranism. They
have several children. the eldest OF whom,
George, celebrated last week his twenty
first birthday, received his military edu-
cation at Potsdam and is engaged to be
married to the seventeen-year-old Princess
Elizabeth OF Rumana- eldest daughter Of
the fascinating Crown Princess Elizabeth
OF Rumanis, and, az a great-granddaughter
of the late Queen Victoria, in the line Of
succession to the throne of Great Britain.
MARQUISE DE FONTENOY.