Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1917-06-20
Ex-CREEK QUEEN
KAISER'S SISTER
Her influence Over Constantine
Led to Downfall.
new MONARCH IS PRO-ALLY

/
Strangely aympathixss With Peliciss
Of Ex-Prsmisr vsnIxslos and 10 Ex-
| pectsd to Steer q Perfectly Neutral
Course In the War-MaIority Of Sub
jsots Are Also Opposed to Germany.
A desire to steer a middle course be-
tween the influence exerted over him
| by his German wife and his own sym
patty for the Teuton cause on the one
hand and the desire Of the Greek peo-
pie for a strict neutrality on the other
was responsible for the gradual break
down Of King Constantine's rule over
his suhjects-
Since the outbreak Of the European
war his hold on the Greek people had
been weakening. His final clash with
venixelos, beloved Of the Greek peo-
pie. was the turning point from which
b. traced his gradual decline.
Educated in Germany and married
to Sophia. q sister of the kaiser, Con.
stantine at the very start Of the Eu-
ropean war began to show his sym
patty with the cause Of the central
! powers. In many ways he caused the
Greek people to form the opinion that
he placed the Greek ideals below his
| feelings for Germany.
Constantine was born In Athens on
Aug 2. 1868. His father was the broth
er OF Empress Marie OF Russia and
Queen Alexandra OF England His
education was obtained from tutors
brought from Leipzig, and ut the age
OF twenty-one he married Sophia. the
sister OF the kaiser
Sophia Msstsrfui Woman.
Sophia was the most masterful OF
the kaiser's four sisters. Two years
after her marriage to Constantine she
aroused the displeasure OF Wilhelm by
renouncing the Lutheran church and
| joining the Orthodox Greek church.
The opinion frequently expressed that
Soph!a's influence over her royal hus-
band was great was confirmed soon
after the outbreak OF the present war.
when Constantine, despite his Russian
and English aunts, began to show
signs OF German sympathy.
Constanfine's first break with veni-
zelos. then premier. canefafter the en-
trance OF Turkey into the war on the
| side of the central powers. In his in
| sistence on strict neutrality Constan-
| tine spurned the arguments OF Vent
! zelos. The disagreements between the
king and the premier continued until
| 1t came time for him to choose between
the shrewd advice OF venizelos and the
spell exerted over him by the queen.
| Tie continual refusal of the king to
| look kindly on the requests of the en-
| tente powers for cooperation In the
Dardanelles campaign caused venize-
los to suspect strongly that Queen So
| phia was exerting powerful influence
| 70 prevent action with the entente.
| The continued refusal OF the king to
| heed Venizelos caused the latter to re-
sign the premiership and eventually es-
| tablish the Saloniki government.
Protest by venizeIoa
You hoped that after German VIC
| tory you would he able to concentrate
| In -FOUR hands the whole power OF gov
! eminent and sweep aside our system
| OF liberty VenI2e,os wrote to the king
after he had established the provision
| al government
Even before the European war Con
stantine manifested his feeling for Ger.
many in such way as to arouse the
/ criticism % the entente countries. Aft
| er the Balkan war Constantine In the
course OF a speech In Berlin praised
| German teachers for the success OF his
troops. AS matter OF fact. French
officers had trained the troops of the
Creek army, Later when Constantine
visited France he was not received ia
vorably.
The new king. Alexander, Is said to
be strongly pro-aEy and Is known to
have great admiration for veniyelos.
/ AT the outbreak OF the war Alexander
was In England and was given a wei
come which was remarkably warm
At the time the London press com
mented on the reception and expressed
wonder that such welcome should be
accorded Alexander in view OF the leu
ton tendencies which bis father and
brother were beginning to display. II
was reported after the break between
the king and yenizeios that Alexander
had thrown up his commission as cap
tain In the Greek army to cast his for
tunes with the former premier.
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