The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-08-14
GREECE EXCITED
 OVER ELECTIONS
 FOR SEPTEMBER
Divine Right of Kings In Balance Against Democ-
 racy In Campaign

| September) are being regarded with
 great importance, in view of what has
 taken place during the past 15
 months. It ia declared, particular
 ly by the adherents of the former
 premier, Venizelos, that militarism is
 in the balance against Democracy and
 that the divine right of kings is pit
 ted against Republicanism.
 The campaign has already begun
 with Venizelos serving both as a ral- | lying point and as a point of attack. The anti-Venizelos journals are call- | ing him a traitor, accusing him of | having sold his country to the En- | tente Powers and proclaiming him as potential dictator who would turn his country into a French protector ate.
 The Venizelists on the other hand have assumed the attitude that the King has no power under the consti- tution and therefore they are stopped from assailing him for exercising a power which they deny exists.
 The king isN really popular, and though many Greeks disapprove out spokenly of the royal participation in politics. there is no bitterness against Constantine l., personally. Nor is the figurehead late premier Stephen Skouloudis especially attacked. Those who came in for attack by the Veni- zelists are the officers of the General Staff, the German propagandist Bar Schenck and ex-minister of interior, Demetrios Gounaris; the real head of the Greek oligarchy.
 There is nothing polite about the political methods of the Creeks. Strong epithets are commonly ap- piled to political opponents in the editorials of respectable Athenian journals. And although the army is in process of utilization, it's off, cers are drawing every possible politi- cal advantage of its organization while there is yet time. The sol- diers of today, who will be citizens tomorrow, are harangued, treated to orders of the day and manifestos and generally shepherded by their officers into the anti-Venizelist fold. Each train bringing ''reservists' (de- mobilized soldiers) from Macedonia, is accompanied by one or more officers who talk politics to the men until they split up to return to their homes. Political leagues are being formed among the reservists under the tute- lage of antiVenizelist officers, and every effort is being made to conserve all the political advantages of mobil- ization after the army has been dis banded.
 These methods arc fraught with menace to any sort of peaceful elec- tfons. Venizelos declared that the intervention of the Powers guaran- tors of Greece on June 21 saved the country from impending revolution, and it said now that that prospect has not been entirely disposed of.
 Elephtehrios Venize1os, besides be- ing one of the great statesmen of Europe today. is also very astute politician. His personal organ, the Herald, which appears every Sunday, has some 100000 subscribers, and the Cretan writes at least one leading article every week. His followers are busy In every cafe-as all of Greece lives in the cafes in the sum- mer. There is just one topic of dis cussion: Venizelos and the consti- tution-or Gentlemen! The King!
 A neutral dip1omatist says: "The trouble in Greece is not yet over. It Is just beginning. King Constantine cannot logically accept the elections calmly. for the elections mean the return of Venizelos. And Venizelos Is determined to make it impossible for all time to come for the sovereign in Greece ever to take the reins of power as Constantine I. has done-if the Cretan has to change the Greek constitution to do it. For King Con- stantine to accept this is equivalent to abdication-and I believe he will &C., tually abdicate before he will do it.
 What is still bitterer pill for the king to swallow is that the return of Venizelos in all probability means the entry of Greece into the Euro pean war on the side of the Allies. They say that Venizelos and his fol- lowers are already placing orders for the necessary munitions and arma- ment for the Greek army in that event. Can you sec Constantine I. leading his men againsa the forces of his brother-in-law, the Kaiser, while Venizelos, whom he regards As his arch-enemy, governs the country in the royal name
 Considering the attitude of the king up to now, 1t seems only logical tha. he must resist by every possible means tho return Of Venizelos to power and all that return entails. Af- tor all, the king has put himself in tho position of Q leader Of a political party. and if he loses he may find tha: the sole consistent course to follow :s that incumbent on political lead CT, who has lost retire to private life. Outwardly, there, is nothing visible in Greece to justify this statement, The new Greek cabinet under Pre- mier Zaimis. has Loyalty carried out the demands laid down in the Entente ultimatum of June 21. Complete, general demobilization has been or dered. The sessions Of tho Bouie have been suspended. New elections have been set. Col. Palamaras,i the T-epoff of Greece, has given place as Chief of Police to 2 devoted Venize- list. Col. Zymbrakaltis. The effective albeit uudeclared martial law that has held all Hs!las in leash for seven months, has ceased 10 appear :n silent military patrols tramp!nS .hs streets day and night with bayonets fixed
 Yet N astute observer in Greecs believes that all of this indicates any real acquiesence in the terms imposed by the Entente ultimatum. The roy al,s:s who for fifteen months, are nl- legged to have held the Greek con- stitution in suspension while con-