The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1915-10-20
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OF GREEKS-CONSTANTINE

athens, Sept. 10.-The king of the
Greeks received the Associated Press
correspondent at the Chateau of De-
keleia, the summer residence of the
royal family at Tatoi, some 16 miles
northeast of Athens, this noon.
Constantine I. is just turned At, an
;.fable. pleasant looking, ::ne man
nered gentleman whose principal bus
mess is that of a soldier, albeit he
doesn't look it. Creating & capable
Greek army has been the work of his
tie. He studied in the war college
il; Rerlin where he became thorough
Ir trained in Prussian theory of mod
ern warfare. AS a soldier who has
:aA~his s"n'ies to two victories, Con-
stantine I. is immensely popular with
his countrymen.
STRAIGHT awav the king plunged in
to the subject of the war. With un-
questioning confidence in the CORES
pondent's pledge not to quote him he
expressed his views with tn. utmost
f1snkness; he followed with especial
interest the campaign in Russia.
Slowly the talk veered to the
Greeks everywhere. He feels himself
Ling of the Greeks whether they be in
Greece or not. 1t was thus that he
came to speak of the Greeks in the
United States and to permit the As
scciated Press to print his views on
;he subject of Greek emigration.
For you see," said the king, "the
question of Greek emigration to the
United States is most important one
There are something over 100000
Greeks in your country. But it is in
great measure temporary popula-
ton; before the Balkan wars there
were probably even more Greeks in
America. At that time something like
$4,000 returned to Greece to fight. I
believe that if the occasion were to
arise again, as many would again re-
turn for the same purpose.
"Since then, however, many of the
Greeks who came home at that time
have gone back to America. But this
time the emigration has been with
signal difference. At the first emigra-
ton the men went alone. Their idea
Was to make modest fortune, return
to their families in Greece, tuy lit
tie farm or shop in one of the cities
Snd live in comfort to the end of their
days.
"But great many of those who re-
turned to America after a first trial
Ed after they had served their coun-
try in the Balkan wars, took their
families with them. For them it was
nc loner an experiment. So when
Trey sailed for the west the second
time as prospective Americans, al
most all of them quit their mother
country forever.
And l cannot believe that this is
or has proved an unmixcd good.
Greece is not over-populated. In 60
ing to America the emigrant Greek
rurs very considerable risks over
,Ehich he himself as Greek has little
or no control. Just the other day a
transatlantic Greek liner brought
back to Greece more than 1000
Greeks who had embarked in New
York. This is happening constantly
these days. On account of the war,
industrial conditions in the United
States would seem to be inferior to
industrial conditions in Greece. At
home the Greek finds that he is pro-
pcrtionately more prosperous than in
America. But he has lost something
n making the double voyage.
''The loss is serious one 1t re-
veals serious problem. Thi, matter
of Greek emigration to the United
States is problem which Greece
must have time and calm in which to
reach proper solution"