Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1916-09-21

ABOUT the time the entente alned meet
was taking position at Piraeus. the port
Of Athens. and revolutionary outbreaks
were reported taking place in Mace
donia.
Tatoi, Greece, Sept !, via Paris, Sept,
liking Constantine received the CORE.
spondent Of the Associated Press In his
summer palace here just previous to a
visit from the British minister at Athens.
The King spoke Of the present situation
with the utmost frankness, although re-
fusing to be directly quoted. He said that
Greece is ready to join the entente allies
whenever she could see her definite and
certain advantage in SO doing
The King expressed indignation that
it could be thought by any one, much
less published. that he is bound by any
pledge to any one not to make war or
that he has been moved in his course
hitherto by any reasons save those he
conceived to be for the greatest good Of
his country. He declared that the situa-
ton up to the Bulgarian invasion OF
Greek Macedonia and Roumania's entry
into the war had not revealed with
sufficient certainty the advantage TO be
gained by Greece to compensate for the
risks and unquestionable cost in lives
and property bound to follow Greek
| participation in the war.
| King Constantine referred with partic-
! ular feeling to the fate almost certain to
+ overtake more than a million Greeks
| living in Asia Minor and Thrace in the
event of Greece finding herself engaged
| in hostilites with Turkey, and he pointed
out that while those who Judged Greece
and himself harshly for what Is regarded
as inaction, they gave no thought 70 the
| prospect of condemning the lot Of tho
! Armenians Greek women and children
/ caught in the tolls Of the Turks
The King said the world regarded
with callousness. due to ignorance. the
real situation concerning the attitude
of Greece. criticisng the country and
! the government for bargaining when
| the Greeks alone know and estimate
the frghtfu cost of war to Greece.
He laid stress on the difference be-
tween Greece's situation and Rou
mania's in this respect. Quite frankly
the King admitted that the presence
of Bulgarians in Macedonia and Rou
manias entry into the war would
greatly complicate the situation. con
shutting a new element which might
easily AFTER the premises upon Wnicn
the policy Of Greece hitherto has been
based. The King declared that all
these new elements had to be duly con
sidered and weighed before Greece
would be justified in changing her po-
sition. hut he added that they were
now being thought over and the course
of Greece would depend on the result
of the consideration and on nothing
else
With profound earnestness Kins
Constantine stated it was not the mo-
ment to talk OF his deciding the fate
OF Greece, nor of the government de-
Gliding. nor of any political party in
Greece indicating the action the
country must take but, as he put il
the hour will come when we want the
voice of the soul Of HsllAs to dictate
the future of our race"
while lying on a sofa In a dsrkened
room. Physicians and nurses are
still in attendance upon him on account
of the fever and continual irritation al
the wound which keeps the King con
fined and in a state Of constant physi
cal annoyance. when not in actua
pain.
Despite his mental anguish. thu
Greek sovereign apparently is trying
to see clearly the way leading TO thu
salvation OF his country under circum
stances which are altering hourly.