Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-12-19
INTERESTING FIGURES
SEEN IN CREEKS ARMY
Should Nation Enter War Arena
Others VIII Step Into Martial
IIimclight.
CONSTANTINE is GREATEST
Average Subject Regards King rs in
Foremost Rank, Though He Is Not
Military GeniuS-GencraI Dousma-
mis- In Supreme Command.

ATHENS. GREECE. December is
ohouiu Greece enter the European war
arena. some interesting military figures
VIII be added to those already in the
martial limelight. for Greece has seen
quite "a few wars since the middle nine
'ics--ndccd. she has seen littlc else
ana 'hefc has grown up among a Ger
tain class of the Greek people "A strong
military tradition.
To the average Greek tho great mill
tary figure Of his country is Constan
tinc j.. the King Of Greeks. But his
greatness rests rather on the tenacity
ana enthusiasm with which he has con
stantly kept at the business Of build
ing UP Greek army and the personal
courage with which he ':aa taken the
active command OF his country's troops
In the last two successful wars. That
he is a military genius in any aenSe
mono OF the real military men Of the
country pretend. The real military
genius OF Greece in the as-yct-mercly-
Balkan sphere Of his activities is Cen
cral Victor Dousmanis. general of
brigade, chief of The general staff of
Greece. In Greece only the King is :.
field marshal-and Constantine !. is
field marshal. not ouly Of Greece, but
o. Prussia as we'll
DOuSMANIS AND KIM.
IN GREAT CONTRA ST
For his age General Dousmanis has
nad" rapid strides 10 arrive at The SUI
prcihc effective command OF the army
OF s5.ooo men in time of peace and.
roughly. $4,000 men in time of war
lie Was born on August 90 Greek cal
cndarD--Sv ptcinbcr . our calendar
N he. Let. e
been 4 professional soldier ali his life.
graduating from the military school
ana entering the regular army at once
AS 81 second lieutenant in 1883. where
lac had rapid rise in the engineering
branch OF the service
When the disastrous war with Tur
Key was undertaken In 1897 Dousmanis
had already been a captain seven wears
nc Was attached TO the general STAFF
OF III" then crown prince, now the King
rs much below medium stature as the
sing * above average height. as dark
as tho King ~ blonde. as silent and un-
smiling as the King is eapanxivc ana
genial. the TWO were in great confirms,
though General DousInanIs Is seven
years older than his SOVEREIGN
Throughout, that war and the long
years that followed in which rrinc.
Coniiantine planned and effected the
regeneration OF the Greek army Deus
InaniH was his right-hand man They
shared. and still share. the same adj
miration for belief in the Prussiar svs-
tom. and. despite the training of the
Greek army whole by j French
military mission. King Constantine md
his chief OF staT have succeeded in
putting upon the officers OF the army
thor g. Sri
GENERAL MASKoPOILOs
Is OF DIFFERENT TYPE
During the successful war against
the ottoman Empire in 1912 the then
Lieutenant Colonel Dousmanis was
again attached TO the staff Of Crown
Prince Constantine. and when the lat
ter became King he was made chief of
tho general STAFF. a post which he held
through the war against Bulgaria and
has held Sine. In addition, he was
also his sovercign's aid de camp In the
war. and he tells story. which tho
King himself confirms. that the two
were with the young Crown Prince
George watching the battle Of Kilkich
from behind a cemetery wall when a
rifle bullet struck the gold wris, watch
on Prince Georges arm. clipping The
watch OFF neatly and smashing il be-
yond repair, though not even leaving
scratch on the princes wrist Both
the King and his chief Of staff believe
in being where they can see what is
going oh in battle.
Speaking OF the honors which have
from time to time been bestowed upon
him. IL is characteristic OF General
Dousmanis that he could only remem-
Der two-that he is commander If the
Order OF the Savior. n Greek order and
wears the grand Gordon Of tho crown
OF Prussia.
An entirely different type is General
Constantine Moskopoulos. general Of
division, and commander OF tie third