The sun., 1916-12-09

d~sportations, but that the landing Of our
troops At Salonica can no more be de-
Tended from a juristic point Of view
than the German invasion by way Of
Lege in August. 1914.
The status Of Belgian.
AT this period Of the war the position
OF Belgium before the German invasion
needs no further explanation. The ablest
historians have made It perfectly cleer
that the neutrality OF Belgium was guar
antsed by certain Powers. one Of whom
va Germany that Germany on the
dsrisory pretext that she might have TO
meet q French invasion through Bel
GUM, hrst delivered to that country an
ultimatum requiring her to allow tie
unhindered passage OF German troops.
and that then. on the demand ,sing met
with an unqualified refusal (Belgiur's
only possible reply consonant with 10!
atty to her other g~uarsntors). she pro-
eooAed to occupy the country. with the
results which are only too we'll known
70 us all.
'"The form In which the protecting
Y~Owers-Great Britain, France and Rus
0iA-guaranteed the Kingdom OF Greece
b less we'll known to the neutral world
Il 10 more ancient history, and - some
extent wrapped UP in the technicallties
q diplomatic language.
sOn July IL. 1859, q treaty was signed
containing the following as Its third
article:
"Greece, under the sovereignty OF
Prince william Of Denmark and the
9~uArantee Of the three courts. forms a
monarchical Independent constitutional
0eaAA.'
Duty Of P~PotectinG Powers.
The hrst article Of the same treaty
ygOvtdes that Greek sovereignty should
b hereditary, SO that Prince William
Afterwards was known rs KIM George.
His descendants are on precisely the
same terms In this respect. 1t Is, there
fers. the duty Of the protecting Powers
70 ensure that the Greek state should
retain the three characteristics men,
tened in the third article. and the means
b. which they must do so In a last
resort are indicated in an u~nrepealed
article in the protocol treaty Of Feb
SuAsy ]. 1880. when King Ohio was
pooc0d on the throne, to the effect
tAat no troops belonging TO one of
he contracting Powers shall be allowed
- enter the territory Of the new Greek
STATE without the consent Of the two
ethsr courts who signed the treaty
'The unconstitutional behavior Of
King Constantine. his refusal to abide
~ the terms Of the Greek treaty with
Serbia and the nouting of the decisions
OF ~. Venixelos and his Parliamentary
majority, hardly admit Of denial. even
~ the Germans themselves. who con-
teat themselves with saying that he
acted for what he believed to be the
beot interests Of his country. As Great
0g1tain. France and Russia have uni
fo9mly acted together. the whole matter
Of their landing troops to neutralize
the Kings unconstitutional action was
boeh their right and their duty.
Allies Landing Approved.
sobjsction may possibly be brought
VAot the arguments up to this point
~ OF technicalities In old treaties. and
. order to Justify our action. at any
NE morally. We must show that We
Woso not acting against the wishes OF
tAo Greek people. To this may be re-
Piled absolutely. without the possibility
% ~controvsrsion. that our troops went
. to Balonica with the express approval
ment. and that he had himself suggested
tAo stipulation In tho G~reco-Serbian
treaty for . provision by which the
Serbian Government needs could. in
view Of the default Of Greece on this
peant. Be fulAlled by the despatch into
Greek territory Of an equivalent force
~ Great Britain and France.
Nothing that has happened since the
landing at Salonica can. Of course. affect
he legal position Of the Allies In sending
troops there but proofs v come thick
and fast Of the unconstitutional policy
Of he King and Of the Skouioudis Minis
Try. who existed simply to carry out his
policy.
Surrender Of Fort Rupel.
When NJ. Skouloudis wal taxed by
oems Of his deceived colleagues with the
surrender Of Fort Rupel. ne showed
them 4 document from the German Min
lister guaranteeing that the fort would be
returned to Greece later on. and this doc
ument was dated three days before its
surrender. proving that there was no
question Of seizure and forcible occupa-
ton.
Who can then be surprised at the
action of NJ. Venixelos in declaring "A
provisional Government? He has ex-
pressly stated that he holds no anti
monarchical or ahti-dynastic views. He
taken his way, as the protecting
Powers have taken theirs. to bring the
King back 10 the constitutional regime
by which alone he exists.
'~The protecting Powers have had no
choice In the matter OF their action. II
was sanctioned. and probably required.
BY their treaty obligations, OF which II
was . natural co~rollary. and was carried
out--the fact cannot be stated too often
with The expressed approval OF the
one man who could and did represent
the Greek Government and people to us.
Forced 20 Coerce Athens.
'crhs events Of the last few days have
brought out In a striking way the almost
intolerable difficulties with which the
protecting Powers nave had to deal
During the past months they have had
on several ~occasions to take steps "a
exact from the Greek Government the
benevolent neutrality which had been
promised them. and It should he realized
that this benevolent neutrality was q
minimum. Greece had c~onstitutionally
declared for something much more. and
'bsnsvolent neutrality was n small rem
nant Of It promised by the Government
which succeeded that Of Venizelos.
But even this promise was not car
ried out. The Greek posts, tciegraphs
n wireless stations were being used To
the prejudice OF the Allies. The police
and so-called reservist associations were
becoming centres OF a%nti-allied propa-
. gands, and the enemy legations had be-
como the agencies of an elaborate system
Of espionage.
"These dangers had to he averted, and
Il was also necessary to ask the Greek
Government to hand over to the Allies
an equivalent amount of war material
to that with which II had furnished the
Central Powers by the prearranged sur
rAnAAr NJ Fort p,tnaI ard a,.I. ~