New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-09-04
Constantine-the Bulgar-Killer.

law. the German Kaiser. To Greece, at the
moment when the German thrust through
Serbia was about to begin, the Allies Of
fered Smyrna, the coast Of Magma 1r%cia'
which had been Greek at the dawn Oh MS
tory. islands of the Egean held by Italy
and the British island of Cyprus. More
than two million Greeks, the commanding
position in the Egean, future IN ASIA
Minor. were the prizes offered to Constah
tine.
But the Hellenic monarch was held
marshal in his brother-in-law's army; ne
was convinced as soldier and as states
man that German victory was lnevltapie'
cat;sfed If this. he took the reins of govern
ment from the hands of the great Cretan
Vonizolos. who had half achieved the work
of the reunion of the Hellenic race, dis
missed Cabinets. defied majorities, tore up
the treaty which bound Greece to support
her Serbian ally and made inevitable, by
this act, the success Of the German attacF
upon Serbia. ..
In the Second Balkan War Constantine
had won great victories over the Bulgars
and taken to himself the historic Byzantine
title of Bulgar-Killer. His people were the
sworn enemies of the Bulgar, and the
hatred and rivalry had endured Tor more
than a thousand years. Yet Constantine
despite the warning of Venizelos, per-
mitted the Bulgars to take Serbian Mace
donia, to approach the Greek frontier from
Monastir. from Guevgheli and from Strum-
nitza. Again and again he produced the
promise of William II that Greece should
not be disturbed to calm the em"uons OF
his fellow countrymen and confound the
protests Of Venizelos.
No man ever gambled more recklessiy,
more utterly. than did Constantine. Hence.
when all his calculations were proven
wrong. when the Bulgar entered kavala
and Drama, the Italian landed troops IN
Salonica and Rumania cast her lot with
the enemies Of the Central Powers, the
dav of Constantine, the Bulgar-killer, had
como. His abdication may or may not
be forced by the Allies, but 1t seems
bound to come sooner or later as the result
of the demand of his own people.
We may assume that the first step in the
new order Of things will be the calling OF
Venizelos to the helm. We may assume that
the Crown will lose most, if not all, OF Its
weight in Greek affairs, for the present at
least. We may assume that declaration
of war upon Bulgaria will be one of the
first acts of Venizelos. With the going or
Constantine Greece inevitably turns bach
to her ancient friends, the nations which
won her freedom for her and have watched
over and protected her against herself and
the Turk for nearly a century.
Unhappiy, the repentance will probably
come too late to save for Greece much
of the future that Constantine gambled
away. Conceivably Venizelos may obtain
permission to annex that bit of Northern
Epirus now temporarily included in Greek
territory, but excluded four years ago on
the demand of Italy. Santi Quaranta, Ar
gyrocastro and Koritza may remain, but
the hope Of Smyrna and the coast of Asia
Minor has gone, and with it has gone al
chance Of recovering from the Italians the
islands of the Dodecanesus. Unless Bull
garia shall change sides promptly, the AL
lies will doubtless aid Greece TO recover
Drama and Kavala and reoccupy the ter
ritory between the Struma and the Mesta.
But this is probably the limit of Greek
possibilities now.
The entrance Of the Greek army will
play a considerable part in the future
Dalt-o. oarora;o,rc al+bouoh the armv has
been torn and demoralized by the political
strife that has been going forward for the
past year. That it will have great value
in the next few months is unlikely, but II
will add 100000 veteran troops to General
Sarrails forces and it will make still more
difficult the task Of the Bulgar along tho
Vardar at the moment when Russian
troops, with Rumanian, are beginning to
invade Bulgaria from the Danube.
II is not in the least unlikely that Fcrdi-
rand Of Bulgaria, Gar by the grace of
Austria, and now in Vienna, may presently
conclude to follow the example of Constan-
tine. He also has guessed wrong. The
arm Of Russia has proved longer than that
Of either Of his Kaiser allies. His fellow
countrymen will have small stomach to
fight Rumanian, Russian, Serbian, Greek,
British, Italian and French armies. And
this is the portion that is now set before
them. lie, too, has son who may save
the dynasty, although this is by no means
certain for Bulgarians are less likely thai
Greeks 10 deal gently with house that has
contributed so much 70 national misfort-
une.
Ferdinand's gambling did not, like Con-
stantine's, begin recently. 1t was he who
provoked the Second Balkan War, answer
ing Viennese leading, and thus broke up
-. Dill. Alliance ord coat hie oUp roun-