New Britain herald., 1915-10-07
GREECE READY TO
 FIGHT FOR SERBIA
Statement Of Former Premier
 VenizeloS Before He Resigned
MADE TO ASSOCIATED PRESS


 Before the Unexpected Change in the Situation in the Balkans Took Place.
 The following statement was made to the Associated Press correspondent at Athens Tuesday by M. Venizelos before his resignation as premier and was filed at the Greek capital a short
 time before the unexpected change in the situation took place:
 Athens, Oct. 5, 1 D. m., Via. Paris, Oct. 6, 7:15 D. m.-At the close of 8 decisive meeting of the Greek cham Der last evening and early this morn ing, Premier Venizelos gave the asso- ciated Press a statement of the policy Greece would pursue in the impending Balkan conflict.
 Will Support Serbia.
 "One thing Is absolutely certain, v
 said M. Venizelos. Greece will abide by the terms of her alliance with Ser bia not only in letter but in spirit to the last man and the last drachma. More, the Greco-Serbian treaty fore saw only the possibility of a Balkan war. When it was made none could
 predict the present European con- fiict with all its widespread compli- cations. But the spirit of alliance
 was one of mutual defence and be-
 cause the dangers threatening our
 ally increased with unforeseen condi-
 tions there is no excuse for hiding
 behind the verbiage of the treaty to
 escape the responsibility of our pledge.
 Through the entire available for
 ccs of the central empires be added
 to those of Bulgaria in an attempt
 to crush Serbia, Greece will unf1inch- ingly remain true to her passed word. l The honor of Greece is at stake. You
 may be certain it will not be betrayed. Ready To Fight.
 "Nor, indeed, has there ever been
 at bottom the slightest wavering
 about the Greek people respecting
 their responsibility to enter the war
 in defense of their ally under terms
 of alliance although every effort has
 been made to becloud the issue. The
 spectacle of part of her press subser-
 vent to foreign influences has shamed and humiliated Greece. A people so eager to read-so much so that every
 bootblack while he shines your shoes is reading a book or newspaper-has been temporarily confused by an in- spired and venal propaganda. But the feeling of loyalty to our national obligations never for a moment has l been really affected. What Greece ! has said she will do she will do. She is ready to fight and if Serbia needs
 her she will fight.
 Prospecting the landing of French ] troops at Saloniki there is but one thing to be said We have protested, | of course, for we have wished to re- main neutral in this European strug- gle and We wish it now if it were con- | sistent with our rights and duties. 1 But the Greek people cannot war on | France and wouldn't it they could. 1 What France has done for Greece no ! Greek can forget. Comes now 1 France, asking nothing of Greece, de- l claring categorically her sole inten- 1 tion to be to support Greece's ally 1 in the case of a need wherein Greece 1 herself would be bound to support
 her neighbor. It is something offered, / not something asked. Indeed, since l have been premieir, I may say quite 1 frankly the entente has asked not ] one concession of Greece. There | fore, when France gives every guar antee respecting the integrity of l Greece, when Frances motives for | landing troops on Greek soil are ex- | piained as in the nature of accom- | plishing the very purpose of Greece's s 1 treaty of alliance with Serbia, we can see no reason why Greece should re- l sist what she cannot help and what
 ultimately cannot fail to be to her advantage.
 Dream of Greeks.
 Tt must not be forgotten that while no sacrifice has been asked of | Greece to which her international ob- 1 legations do not already impel her, | the realization of the dream which | sleeps in the heart of every true | Greek has been held out to her with 1 out conditions. For centuries the | Greeks have wanted two things: A | free and united Greece and freedom for Greeks where ever they might be. 1 The former we have gained with blood, l heroism and sacrifice extending over | thirty centuries. The latter, in a | larger degree than We could hope to | achieve unaided for centuries to come | i,erhaps, is suddenly made possible | to us.
 | "Who thinks what 1t would mean to l Greece that those of our blood line On the opposite shore may one day l soon come under our flag, cannot he indifferent to the realization of a greater Greece for which we are
 asked to pay nothing save the keep 1 ing of our pledged word to which our honor binds us in any case. This l is the position of Greece today which i am more glad to make clear to | America because I have just been ap-
 preached by William Hamilton of New Xrrlc yAtit h most nffar Af