Evening star., 1914-11-15

Dispatches from London of the 5th
and 9th instants announced. first, that
the Bulgarian govern
Question of ment had received formal
assurance that the Greek
GPA U.s. government was deter
mined to maintain neutrality and had
refrained from mobilization. and, fur
thermore, that Servia would offer Bull
garia her moral support il Turkey
should attack Bulgaria. The dispatch
of the 9th instant stated that the Ozo-
graphos had addressed a proclamation
to the Epirotes informing them Of the
annexation of Epirus by Greece.
The nebulous condition of the Epirus
Joined to the chaotic state of Albania
constitutes a situation which may rem
der any pronouncement of the powers
exceedingly difficult. 1t is recalled
that NJ. Venizelos, the premier OF
Greece. urged that the Epirus should
be incorporated with Greece, and yield
ed only upon the insistence of the
powers, when Albania seemed to them
a ship of state definitely placed on its
course.
The question is one of very great in
terest. and merits retrospection as to
Greece. In 1909 Greece was in a state
of anarchy which appeared hopeless
The army. still under the blow of it's
defeat by Turkey in 1897. was disor-
ganized and in a state of revolt. Coils.
Zorbas and Lapathiotis had formed
what was known as the Military
League" with the object of protesting
against the existing general corruption
and the action of the military CANA
rilla which surrounded the dialogue
and the princes.
Afrer the multiple Incidents of Oc-
tober 2s, 1909, the troops of the garrf-
son at Athens. led by their officers. es-
tablished themselves at Goudi military
grounds, situated outside of the capital !.
whence they sent detachments to arrest
the chamber and the ministers. A series
of laws formulated by the league were
imposed upon parliament. The princes
were excluded from the army and the
iiadorue-today King Constantine
resigned Later dissension manifested
itself in the league and the situation
thus became inextricable.
During this interval NJ. VeniZelos,
who had played an active and proml-
nent role in Crete. the
The Rise of country of his origin ar
rived in Athens. His lucid
Venlzelos. ity of mind. intelligence
and correct attitude attracted the at
tention of the chiefs of the military
revolution, who were in quest of man
and leader. The Military League lost
no time and offered him the direction
of the revolutionary movement. Veni-
zelos hesitated a moment and then ac-
cepted. In accepting the delicate role
he posed his conditions and declared
to the delegates of the league: I ac-
cent. but 1 will not be the prisoner OF
any one"
From that moment NJ. Venizelos gave
proof of his high qualities. among
them his complete personal dislnterest
edness. King George had been treatea
with little respect by the league. whicn
had. indeed, almost DECIDED TO panisI
him, as they had banished the princes.
Venizelos opposed most strenuously the
banishment of the king, and, having
arranged for the succession OF M.
Dragoumis to NJ. Rhollys. the new
chief returned to Crete on some urgent
business, and subsequently set out on
a voyage to Europe. During his ao-
sence the general elections were or
dered and accomplished. after which
NJ Dragoumis resigned, and thereupon
n ministry to NJ. Venizelos, who in be-
coming president of the council as
sumed the important portfolios Of war
and navy.
The nrSt act OF the new pTcIuicE as
a manifestation to those who had en-
gendered the military revolt that he
was entirely independent in his action.
NJ. Venzelos appointed as aid-de- camp
Capt Metaxa, who had been a mem
ber of the party attached to the
princes, the camariila, against which the
revolution had been directed. The policy
of that appointment was to show that
the minister would bring about the
union of all parties and thus bring
them to a realization of the danger OF
their attitude to the nation.
Six months of vigorous action under
the Venizelos ministry justified the
confidence reposed in the minister. But
everything done had been accom-
plished outside of the law. and 1t
status, and quickly
NJ. venizelos dissolved the chamber
in 1910 and decreed new elections.
which resulted in unanimous parlia-
with the Balkanic states, which per-
mitted Greece to participate in the war
against Turkey.
In 1911 NJ. Venizelos, comprehending
her necessity of union. refrigerated the
dialogue in the army despite the op-
position of the chamber and the peo-
Pile In the war that followed with
Turkey the Greek fleet rendered in
estimable services to the cause of their
Balkanic allies. In return. Greece re-
kilometers square her territory was in
creased by $1,000 kilometers square.
Her population of 1851, 900 was aug
mented by 1,624,000. Greece mo-
bilized for the war 100000 soldiers.
The losses aggregated $4,000 killed or
wounded.
The actual situation of Greece is ad-
mirable. 1t will be most unfortunate
if the country fails to
The Greek recognize its oppor-
Character. others others of aHs the eh, human nam
family. has many faults. He is ad-
dicted to politics and, like all south
ern races, very individualistic, and
likes to listen to himself talk" a
weakness which causes the speaker to
lose sight of order and method, SO
necessary to organization.
The Greek is enthusiastically vain.
Vanity is a weakness which comes to
him from his ancestors. For example,
King Constanrine's military campaigns,
although involving very simple prin-
ciples, are compared to those of Ma
poleon l and Alexander the Great. The
Greek in Athens talks of the necessity
of third war, the retaking of Con-
stantinople and the reconstruction of
the empire OF ByZance. Happily. out
e., nf 10