Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-03-12
THE PERICLES
OF MODERN GREECE
Venezelos, the Man Who Represents
the Imperial Aspiration of Hellas.
For Five Centuries the Race Has
Cherished "The Idea"
BY RAYMOND G. FULLER

history, Hleutherlos Venezelos strongly re
- sembles In appearance tho Perlcles Of tn
= Cresilas bust in the British Museum Th
- first Impression is Of benevolence and mod
Grafton. the next of sternness and deter
mination.
In qualities of statesmanshlp the likeness
between the two men is remarkable What
, Thucydides said OF Pericles is largely true
OF Nenezeos during his five years as Pre-
mier of Greece. The classic historian wrote
of the 'Heus OF Athens: "He was able TO
control the multitude in a free spirit; he led
them rather than was led by them. Not
seeking power by dishonest arts, he had no
need to say pleasant things but on the
strength of his own high character he could
venture to oppose and oven to anger them
When he saw them unreasonably elated and
arrogant, his words humbled and awed
them; and, when they were depressed by
Eroundless fears, he sought to arouse their
confidence Thus Athens was ruled
by her greatest citizen"
Won Confidence by Offending
Pericles learned opportunism from the
conflict between Imperialism and the city
state idea; Nenezelos, from his leadership
| OF revolutionarles among the hills of Crete.
Like Pericles, Nenezelos scorned to satter
the populacei he used none OF the arts of the
demagogue: on the eve of general elections
| he said unpleasant things TO the peoplc
| but, single-minded for the welfare Of his
| country, he was so trusted by its citizens
that in every national crisis they followed
! him united The Pericles of the Cresilas
! bust wears helmet, signifylng the soldier:
| and Nenezelos Is soldier as well ms states
man. Under the guidance of venezelos
Greece advanced in prosperity by leaps and
bounds, and the people enjoyed a large in
crease of the general amenities of life. It
was not exactly another Age OF Perlcles
out 1t marked national and social revival.
1t Is hardly too much to say that Ven
ezelos created a New Greece Strictly |
speaking he built on foundations already !
laid and the accomplishment is not vet |
That Is why the Hellenic people, so loyal to
the ideals represented by Venezelos feel so
keenly the loss Of his services as popular
leader and helmsman of the ship of state
One OF the most distinguished Greeks in
America declares that ENTRY into the con-
fict has become for Greece an imperial
necessity" Imperial" is the word
The disagreement between King Constan-
tine and Mr.. Nenezclos and the CONSEQUENT |
forced retirement OF the Premier came he
says lust at the time when all the world
was expecting to see Greece rising to the
eXigencles Of her historical and national
aspirations, and fighting for the accomplish
IHen' ol her deStinles." For centuries
Greece has been looking forward to 'The
Day the day of the re-estabshment of
the Hellenic Empire. Not the Empire or
Alexander but the empire of the Constan
ttnes-and tho Constantine who is King to-
day thwarts the wish and Will of the neonIe
to whose welfare he is nevertheless de-
voted
The Constantines of Old
After the Roman conquest it seemed that
the race, physically and morally was dead
Not so. When, early in the Christian era
the barbarian hordes pressed upon the east
ern frontiers of the Roman Empire, the
Greeks drove back the invaders 1t was this
same race. with its grit and staying power
and its deep-seated public spirit which
made possible the long history OF the Byzan-
tine Empire and resisted the coming of the
Dark Ages long after they had settled down
on Western Europe. Then came Nubammad !
II to Constantinople, and Constantine Xr
fell by the Cannon Gate. The Greeks gave
up to commerce and religion. for
4 time they fought no more: but their ener- c
Sies and virtues had not gone out OF them /
out only slept, and their ndomitable hopes
we're passed ON from generation 10 genera
ion. +
new Greece rose from the struggle which 7
Von independence in 1897 h
~ I'e tIihe' since the TURK took Con- II
tantlnople, there has been The Idea. One g
lay the Greek would win back his whole in 9
lerltance The boys and girls have been Il
inging' in each generation the old song, Il
They have taken the city, ''
They have taken II. -
They have taken Salonka ~
or comfort and encouragement speaks the "
oct:
Be OF good cheer, Lady, cease from tears AZ
and weeping. @
After season, after years, it will be our q
own again. ot
Salonika is theirs but not Constantinople dc
he city of the Constantines is too much M
'r them TO expect, perhaps but the harbor ell
tine Byzantine capital was the Golden .,
orn. And, as Italy has it's Italia Irredenta. in
} modern Hellas has its Unredeemed Greece
five million Greeks in different parts OF Sc
turkey, on the shores of the empire wrested IN
om them five centuries ago. ..
Enthusiasm and faith were with the Cracks Wi
their disastrous war with Turkey in 1897, I'll
ut not organization or efficiency Greece
as Inundated before her enemy. The a.
lame burned for Is years. To introduce a as
ore vIrile spirit into the national life-for
seemed that the Greek was becoming IL
gain too much like the political man" of S,s cn
ipling's "Finest Story of the World'-the co
iitary League was formed This organ Br
alton represented not mllltarsm or lingo ~ ~
m as adverse critics charged, but a move of
ent toward national regeneration. Arma-
ents were but one Item on the program OF
e leaSae The main purpose was 10 at ~
Rl nnff