The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-09-22
GRECIAN KING
ACCEPTS Plan
OF MINISTER'S
Assuming OF Oath Of Of
flee is Formal Recogni-
ton OF Principles

Athens.-(C Correspondence Of The
Associated Press) king Alexander
was the center of brilliant scene as
he made his first appearance before
parliament today, took the oaths to
rule as a constitutional monarch, and
delivered his first speech from the
throne. He looked boyish king, for
he Is just "a and the youngest king
in Europe. But he is tall. stalwart
and good looking and. in his uniform
of an officer of the guards with the
medals and ribbons Of royalty, he had
all the bearing and dignity Of a
monarch.
The event was notable in many re-
|. apects. Neither this young man nor
asyone else ever supposed he would
ever be king, until few weeks ago.
He is a sort of war-king; product
of the great European war. His
brother had been trained to be king
and had received a course In high
politics. But when the Entente AL
lies give King Constantine an ulti-
matum to abdicate, they required al
so that the Crown Prince, who had
been trained for king ship, should al
so leave. And so this younger son,
unframed in statecraft, was suddenly
compelled to take up a crown and be-
come monarch. He had expected to
follow the car@er of a soldier, and
had been to school in England and at
the royal military school Potsdam.
The event was chiefly notable, how
ever, in being a sort of transition
from royalty to democracy-another
result of the European war. While
this young man was king, yet the
oath he was just taking was to rule
as a constitutional monarch, and his
VITA the Prime Minister and Minis
tiers about him, was a formal recog-
milton OF the principle for which this
ministry and the Entente Allies had
contended, that a responsible minis
try directs the affairs Of the country
and not the king.
The recognition of this principle
was very prominent in the ceremony
of today. 1t was less a royal func-
ton, and more a gathering of de-
mocracy. Before the king were the
elected representatives of the people,
all about him were the ministers, and
there were comparatively few court
attendants. The speech from the
throne had been prepared by the min
listers. and when the moment arrived
for its delivery. the prime minister,
Venizelos, took it from his pocket
and passed II to the king for delivery.
The pronouncement. of the king,
thus framed by the ministry, care
fully avoided any offensive reference
to the dethronement of King Constan-
tine, for this was a delicate family
matter which would involve criticism
by a son Of the acts of his father.
But IL openly reversed the policy OF
the former king, in strongly approx
ing the course of the Entente, whom
the king now referred to as friends
and allies battling for the defense
OF humanity, as against the rapacitX
Of the Central powers.
AS q spectacle, also, today's event
had its interest. The ministry had
sought to give full scope to every
royal prerogative, for they wish the
new king to be a real representative
before the people OF a constitutional
monarchy. The splendid coaches Of
the royal establishment, with powd-
cred grooms and footmen, and heralds
and outriders in brilliant uniforms,
made an old world picture Of royal
pageantry, as the king moved be-
tween dense cheering masses, with
solid lines Of soldiers stretching from
the palace TO the parliamentary cham
Der. The marble colonnade of the
chamber was garlanded with wreaths
and flowers, and agreat floral crown
above the doorway indicated that
even in this abode OF democracy
there was still a welcome for what
remained of ROYALTY.