New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-30
Unhappy Greece.

With Bulgarian soldiers on her soil
Greece's farce-comedy of neutrality has
ceased TO be farce-comedy. 1t has turned
TO grim and cherries tragedy.
Neutrality, as Greece has practised it
for many months past, has been subjected
TO much elastic definition. French and
British troops occupied the Salonica dis
trict last fall and have held it ever since.
The defeated Serbian armies were reorgan-
lied on Corfu and other Greek islands, and
have now been transported around to Sa-
lonica. The Allied occupation was an en-
tirely friendly one, and was justified IN
large measure by an informal invitation
from the former Venizelos government.
King Constantine has writhed at the pres
ence of the Allied forces on Greek soil, but,
lacking the support of his people, he has
not ventured to do anything more than
issue Intellectual diplomatic protests.
It is beyond question that he would con-
fine himself to similar empty protests in
case German or Austro-Hungarian soldiers
invaded Greece. He is pro-German and the
Greek people are not violently anti-German
or anti-Austrian. But when it comes to
a violation of Greek sovereignty by the
Bulgars-the inveterate enemies and most
dangerous rivals of the Greeks in the
.Eeean httoral-the most strained inter
pretation of the Greek governments doc
trine of passive neutrality fails to molllfy
national passion or to salve national pride.
Greece acquired Salonica and the re-
gion beyond it TO Kavala and Drama at
the EXPENSE of Bulgaria. The Bulgars
sold themselves to the Teutonic alliance
in order to recoup the losses Of the Second
Balkan War Every Greek knows this,
and the universal fear and hatred of Bull
earia make it impossible for King Con-
stantine and his quasi-constitutional gov
rrnment to maintain the pretence OF dig
\ nified, though bored, acquiescence IN Bull
raria's seizure of positions on Greek soil
held by Greek troops.
The Kings neutrality policy-at all
times counsel Of timidity and narrow OPP
portunism-is now bankrupt. 1t threw
away the great chance which the cou-
rageous and farsighted Venizelos was will
ing to take in the early spring of 1915.
It eschewed future gains and sought to-
capitalize immediate profits. 1t broke
faith with Serbia in order TO keep Greece
out of war. But it has not prevented eco
nomic loss and political eclipse.
Greece's fortunes are tied up with the
war almost as much as if she were an
actual participant in it, yet she has lost
for good and all the opportunity of figur-
ing in the adjustments following the war
except as a supplant TO whom the win
ners. despising her faint-heartedness, are
willing to scatter few surplus crumbs.
Greece had statesman who saw the
golden opportunity. But she also had a
King who could not see it. She followed
Constantine. the over-canny, instead of
Venizeos, the imaginative and heroic. Her
heart was never with the King. Still she
drifted along with him in his policy of
quietism and passivity.
Poor Greece What have her sacrifices
for the sake Of preserving a shadow of
neutrality profted her? Will she be able
10 travel 10 the end the humiliating road
marked out for her by a monarch who re-
NAMED deaf and obdurate when the hour
of destiny struck?