The Washington times., 1915-06-14
GREECE IS SPEAKING


GREECE IS SPEAKING
Elections were held in the metro
politan sections of Greece yester-
day, and are reported to have re-
suited in favor of former Premier
Venizelos, the man who made the
first Balkan war possible, and who
now favors the enlistment of Greece
with the allies. M. Venizelos was
the architect of the Balkan alliance
which held together until it had all
but driven Turkey out Of Europe,
and then split and compelled Serbia
and Greece to fight Bulgaria.
If Greece shall give its over
whelming voice for Venizelos, he
will pretty surely be returned to
power. If he does return, it will be
to take vigorous measures for the
participation Of his country. There
is excellent authority for the state
ment that before his retirement a
few months ago the premier had
practically formed an alliance with
the anti-German forces, under which
Greece was bound to furnish over
100000 troops to support the naval
attack on the Dardanelles. King
Constantine, pro-German in sympa-
thies, objected and Venizelos retired.
The war might have been a good
deal shorter than is now possible, if
the statecraft Of the Greek Cavour
could have been adopted as his ma
tion's instant policy. With Greece
plunging in, Roumania would have
been well-nigh compelled to take the
same side, and the story Of the cam
paigns in the last four months
would have read very differently
Venizelos is the big man Of Bal.
kama. 1t took a statesman of the
first caliber to organize the tri.
partite federation that crushed
Turkey. 1t was not only necessary
to induce Greece, Bulgaria, and
Serbia to act together. 1t was also
necessary to keep Roumania's hands
off, and to prevent the great powers
or any of them interfering.
It has not been seriously question
ed that the Greek people favor war
and, given opportunity, would make
their determination known. But il
is a question how far the King viii
be influenced by the elections, anc
whether he will bend to the popula,
will. The fact that his consort i.
the sister of Emperor William de-
ters him; but the main factor
is the attitude of Bulgaria. If tn.
Balkan alliance could be renewed
there is little doubt that Roumania
despite the fact that her ruler is &,
Hohenzollern, would join it, and tha
the Balkans united strength woult
be hurled swiftly against Austria
Hungary and Turkey. 1t is ever
possible that, should the Greek Kint
be moved to offer no more obstacles
to the development of his kingdom
as the people Of it seem a unit il
wishing, Roumania also would aban
don her neutrality, thus compelling
Bulgaria either to join them, or rul
the risk of reduction, if not of ex
termination as an independent ma
tion.
The inducements offered to Greco
by the allies are liberal. Beside
receiving the islands off the coas
of Asia Minor, Greece would b.
given Smyrna, the Liverpool of tn
Near East, and valuable strip o
the Asia Minor coast, all in returl
for her cooperation in reducing tn
Dardanelles. Poor, without grea
natural resources, Greece, ever sine
her independence was established
has desired to expand, and her pres
ent opportunity is the only one sh
has hesitated to seize, although tn
reward promised is richer than sh
dared to hope. There is prospect o
her becoming one Of the first Med
terranean powers if all should b
realized that the expulsion of tn
Turks from Europe seems to hol
out to her. The voice of the ma
tion very probably will indicat
what Greece intends to do.
GAIL quiet along the Potomac II
night" was written fifty or NOR
years ago, and it's not all quiet ye
Still, YOU can't tell where the resip