New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-11-25
THE, GREEK DILEMMA
The Entire Nation Including King ProA but Enter the
War MIGHT Prove a Military Mistake-The Near Eastern
Situation in Hellenic Eyes

must be a poor student of psychology to
deny to the Greeks their love for true indie
pendence-in thoughts, feelings and deeds.
No man who gets acquainted with our peo-
pie could help noticing our love for France
and for everything which is French, and our
respect and admiration for the English.
Greece cannot forget what she owes as a ma
tion to the Allies. 1t is unjust to think thai
the King would be an exception to that rule.
The Greeks, as an ethical group, are for the
Allies. The Allied cause is theirs and will
continue to be theirs
Greece might not participate in this war
on the side of the Allies. She might remain
neutral (benevolently toward the Allies till
the end of the war. But she will never side
with the Germans, for the following reasons:
What are the inducements that the Austro-
Germans can offer her to side with them
Some territorial compensatons at the ex-
pense Of Serbia, a portion of Albania, and
this with the Kaisers pledge that Bulgaria.
once all powerful in the Balkans, will not
threaten the Greek interests. Are these
advantages of such nature as to tempt our
King and politicians to turn themselves
against the Allies, when their very heart Is
threatened by the Allied fleets, and when
they can be starved out in less than month
by the mildest of blockades? Besides, who
could follow the King and his immediate ad-
visers upon a venture of such kind? None
but traitors TO the Greek cause.
The Greeks do not dislike the Germans,
but as for sympathy in this war they have
none for them. No Greek could embrace
the Teutonic cause when Germany has made
the Turk and the Bulgar, the most mortal
and dreaded enemies of Greek aspirations
her allies. No Greek statesman Of to-day
could tolerate a Bulgarian aggrandizement
in the Balkans. No Greek patriot could view
with indifference Ferdinsnd's hegemony over
the Balkans. 1t is an undsputed fact that
the greatest patriot that Greece possesses IS
her most beloved King, who has the most in
tense hatred for the Bulgarians and who
rightly was surnamed by his subjects THE
Bulgarian Killer"
Pro-Germansm in Greece, of which so
much is spoken of late, is an illusion. If
such movement has been attempted by
Germanys agents or the nfinitesimal num-
Der of German sympathizers among my coun-
trymen this movement must be at its very
infancy and will never acquire a serious
growth.
As a Greek I deprecate the tone OF the
Allied press, especially that of England,
threatening our country and people with re-
prisals if we do not fight for their cause.
Coercive measures, as advised by yellow
ho frut1aSs Tnpy
are doomed TO failure. They might be dis
astrous The English must never forget
that the Greeks. in spite of being very noble
are easily excitable and susceptible.
blockade of the Greek coasts might make
pro- Germanism there reality.
yenizelos and the King are both ardent
patriots, but their patriotism differs in form
Our ex- Premier is convinced OF the final vic
tory of the Allies. Do not the Greeks as
whole share the same opinion? Their wish
has become practically their conviction.
Venizelos views the situation affecting ou~
country as diplomat, as an dealst also.
The King, as a soldier, considers the mill
tary situation.
No country in the world faces more criti
cal hour in its national history than Greece.
The slightest mscalculaton on the part 4
our King or our statesmen might endanger
the whole OF our national life. Our hope
and wish is that the Greek people will not
need to remind their King and statesmen of
their duties and of their moral obligations
10 adhere to those principles and ideals that
made the Greek nation and the Greek king
dom of to-day possibility.
NICOLAS IOANN0US.
New York, Nov. 20, 1915.