Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-12-09
Says Entente Powers Demand
Too Much and Greece Shall
Not BE Forced or CajOied Cut
of Her Neutrality.
ALLIED TROOPS NOT INVITED
Great Britain Not Disposed to
Send Adequate Force to Bal
kans-"Ailies Ruin Greek
Commerce as They Have Done
with American Ships"

Athens. via Malta and London, Dec.
tby a staff correspondent of the
Associated Press)-Constantin l. King
of the Greeks, received tho corrcspon
dent of The Associated Press to-day
md gave him message for Americans
on the attitude which Greece has as
sumed in the world war and the rea-
sons for the policy which has been
followed by the Greek government.
Il am especially glad to talk for
America" said the King. FOR America
will understand Greeces position. We
are both neutral and are together de-
tcrmined, if it is humanity possible, not
to court destruction by permitting our
selves to be drawn into the friGhtful
vortex of the present European con-
flict.
America is protected from imme-
diate danger by the distance which
separates her from the battlefield We.
too, thought that once. But the bat
tlefield shifted and may shift again.
What is happening in Greece to-day
may happen in America. Holland or
any other neutral country tomorrow,
IL the precedent now sought to he es-
fixed
The fundamental cause of tho entire
threatening attitude of the entente powers
towards Greece to-day, and of the pain
full situation of my country" said the
King. rs the entente's own assumption,
without the slightest reason therefor. that
Greece is ready to betray the entente to
Germany at the first favorable oppor-
;t 10 ,,nI,
thing?
From the very outset Of hostilities
In the Near East Grceces neutrality has
been stretched to the utmost to accom-
modate the entente powers. for whom
we have always felt the keenest sympathy
and the deepest gratitude. The Darda-
nelles operations were directed from
Greek islands occupied by allied troops
When Serbia was endangered by the com
bined !Austro-G German and Bulgarian at
tack the allied troops landed unopposet
on Greek SOIL from which, with the sec
ond city of Greece as a base. they
prosecuted, not only unmoested but aid
cd in every way consistent with any
sort Of neutrality their fruitless and toe
long delayed campaign to rescue then
ally.
sonal word that Greek troops will never
be used to attack the Franco British
forces in Macedonia, merely to aiay un-
justified suspicious
Yet, despite all these evidences of
the good faith of Greece. the entente
powers now demand, in IA form which is
virtually an ultimatum. that the Greek
troops be withdrawn from Salonlki-and
that means all MISUNDERSTANDING oul
population unprotected against raids by
Bulgarian comitadjis or all the horrors
of war which lay Belgium waste. should
the allies be driven back within oul
frontiers.
Just suppose the Germans were in a
position to demand that your country
Concede the use of Boston or Seattle rs
the ba sc for an attack on Canada Wha,
would you say? And If all your military
experience and the advice Of your gen
eral staff told you that such landing
was doomed to failure because made
with an inadequate force, and YOU real
tied that the British troops in Canada
would pursue the retreating Germans
across New England, destroying as they
went. would YOU accept the prospec,
without a struggle?
"Why, the entente powers treat me
as IL l were the King of central Afri-
can tribe, to whom the sufferngs of his
own people We're a matter Of indilfer-
ence!
Another thing | want to make clear
1t is said that NJ Venizeos. with my
assent. invited the allied troops to come
to Saloniki Nothing could be further
from the truth. NJ. Venizelos may have
expressed the personal opinion that Il
the allied troops landed at Salonik
Greece would not resist How couit
she resist? But that NJ. Nenizelos ever
as the responsible head of the Grcel
government. formally invited foreign
troops to enter Greek territory is WHOLLY
untrue"
Your Majesty believes that the allied
Balkan expedition is doomed to failure p
Certainly it Is doomed to failure i
undertaken with no more men than ar,
now there or on the way.
"Great Britain does not seem dispose,
to send an adequate force, and Franc
cannot do the job alone. The minimum
army that can hope to accomplish any
thing in the Balkans is 400, 600 men. A
that number Is not being sent, that /
my proof that 1t is Greece that mus
suffer, Greece that must pay for tn
failure Of the allied Balkan venture.
IF the entente will assure me tina
when they are driven back into Greel
territory they will consider the Balkan
game ended, re-embark and leav
Greece. l will guarantee with my Who'll
army to protect their. retreat agains
the Germans, Bulgarians or auybod
else and give them time to embarl
without being endangered. Then
would be legitimately protecting m
frontiers anu II would not involv
Greece IN further risks. More / can
not do.
THE entente's demand is too mucl
They try to drive Greece out of neu
trality; they come into Greek territor
and waters as though they were their.
Al Nautlia they destroyed tanks O
petroleum. intended to kill locusts, o
the excuse that they might be use
by German submarines, They sto
Greek ships; they ruin Greek com
merce-as they have done with Amer
lean ships. too; they want to seize on
railways and now they demand tina
we take away the troops guarding tn