The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-02-24
CONSTANTINE EX-
PRESSES PLEASURE
OVER PUBLICITY
Thanks Associated Press for Its Courte-
sy and Says 1t Helps to Keep
Greece in Touch with
the World.

Athens, Feb. 23.--king Constantine re-.
ceived The Associated Press correspond
ent in audience this morning just before
he left for America. This is the Greek
New Years day, and before the interview
the correspondent assisted with King
Constantine, Queen Sophie, the Princess
Helen, and the young Prince Paul, at the
time -honored New Years ceremony. at
which a band of Greeks chant choruses
in praise of king and country in tie great
hall of the palace.
81 am sorry you are leaving us King
Constantine began abruptly. 81 don't
believe that there is a man or woman in
Greece who does not feel very profound
ly what great thing it has been for us
during this most critical period in our
national history to have a correspondent
of The Associated Press here to tell the
world with absolute impartiaity the
truth of what is taking place. They tell
me, however, that a good many of your
kilograms to The Associated Press never
got through the censors!" The king
laughed little ruefully. "You have
nothing on me-" he added; neither do
mine"
81 am afraid there is no way" he went
on. "We might as well be in dungeon
here, for all the touch we have with the
rest of the world. The most ridiculous,
the most outrageous nonsense about
what is happening in Greece is published
daily in the European press, presumably
written by journalists who are not even
on the spot to see the facts for them
selves. And when my government sends
official denials of them, the European
newspapers will not even publish the de.
mails. Take this letter for example. As
you see, it is from ex Mayor Bennakis,
who was arrested on Dec. 2, during the |
attempted Venizelst revolution. A
French newspaper publishes story that |
Bennakis was so badly mistreated that |
his right arm had to be amputated and |
he was on the point of death. Far from |
having his arm amputated, he writes me |
a letter with it, as you see, expressing |
his gratitude for the kindnes with which |
he has been treated and assuring me that |
he is my most loyal and devoted subject |
Your minister, Mr.. Droppers. personally |
the treatment of those who |
were imprisoned on the charge of sedi-
tion as result of the abortive revolu-
tion of Dec / and 2, and told me himself
that he found them very comfortable
My government, therefore, telegraphed
The French press a denial of the Ben
nakis story, as well as of any number of
similar fabrications, but | have never
heard of any of the denials being pub
ished.
after all, all we ask is fair play. But
t seems almost hopeless to try to get
he truth out OF Greece to the rest Of
he world under present circumstances
We have been sorely tried these past two
,ears and we don't pretend to have al
Ways been angels under the constant ir-
itation OF the ever increased allied con
rol of every little thing in our own pri
ate life-letters kilograms, police, ev- '
rything. Why, do you know that my
lister in-law, Princess Alice of Batten- :
'urg, was only permitted to receive tel {
gram of Christmas greetings from her {
mother in England by courtesy of the d
british legation here2 /
Moreover. by taking an active hand {
0 our own internal politics, England and :
rance especially have succeeded in alien q
ting an admiration. a sympathy and a
eviction towards them on the part of /
he Greek people that at the beginning a
the war, was virtually a unanimous L
radition. | am a soldier myself, and {
now nothing about politics, but it t
GEMS to me that when you start with t
lmOst the whole of country passion 5
tely in your favor and end with it al a
lost unanimously against you, you have e
OF succeeded very well. And quite I'M Ii
arstand how those responsible for such h
result seek to excuse themselves by G
the difficulties they have il
nd to contend with in Greece,--by talk p
g about Greek treaehery and the i'm
ense sinister organization of German il
that has foiled them at ev- Il
Y turn, and so on. The only trouble
it'll that is that they make US pay for v,
lie errors of their policy. The people of q
reeee are now paying for them in sui p,