Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-06-22
Constantine's Proposition.


quickly. The king again summoned his
advisers and smilingly informed them
he was ready to form an alliance with
the entente, provided they would send
him an army of 10000 men in addition
to his own forces. This army, of course,
was to be under his own immediate or
ders. All Europe smiled grimly at this
transparent trick to avoid the issue. All
France was in the greatest danger of
her troubled history. England had
not yet marshaled her full war
strength. Italy had not yet entered the
war when this offer was made. And no
such number of troops could be spared
at that crucial time from along the sew
eral battle lines of the allies. Constan-
tire was well aware Of these facts. His
trick was weird and fiamboyant in its
chicanery. 1t was as logical to have
asked the French army at that time to
jump over the moon as to furnish
Greece with goo. 900 men, but Constan-
tine, German tool had no alternative.
Not many months later 1t became
necessary TO play another game of by
pocrisy Of yet more visible deceit and
sharp practice. The people of Greece
We're clamoring for sincere stand by
the government in the matter. Greeks
felt with a pang of horror that they
might be classed with the Teutonic
brutes II something were not done.
Again in the throes of dtrest infamy.
Constantine realized that he was tres
passing on the Kindness and consider
alton of his subjects: that his throne
was in imminent danger and that some
thing had to be done Immediately. 1t
did not take long for his mind to evolve
readily enough that none of the pseudo
plans he was preparing would ever be
adopted He ordered the representa-
tives of his government at the CAPT.
tails of the entente to submit propo-
sition for cooperation by the naval fleet
only. The proposition was absurd, for
many reasons, which need not be dis
cussed here. -.
France Turns the Tables.
The French government. aware. as
usual. that Constantine was acting in
bad faith, turned the tables on him and
accepted the proposition. Constantine.
aghast at the acceptance OF the propo-
sition, in great alarm instructed Am
bassador Romanos to say that there
had been Misunderstanding" and
that no such offer had been intended.
Romanos refused point-blank to be a
party to any such fragrant breach Of
diplomatic etiquette, and declined to
carry any such lying message to the
French foreign office. The king then
turned to his own family, and his
brother carried the message. tThese
details are recorded with minute exact
ness In the French foreign office) They
may be had for the asking by the most
anxious. as is all civilized Europe, that
the perfidy of this ex-kfng be cried
out over the world.
The statement that another propo-
sition for an alliance was made to the
entente in September. 1916. is not true
in the slightest degree. What really
did occur in that painful year adds to
the shame of the helpless Greek peo-
pie who would have long since rid
themselves of such faithless mon
arch but for the wise and temperate
counsel Of Eenizelos-was this: At that
time Zaimis was premier He made
every effort in his power to persuade
the king to abandon his dishonorable
stand. Constantine. in his rage, re-
fused point-blank and dismissed Zai-
mis- At about this time he entered
upon the scroll of history the act Of
dishonor for which no loyal Greek can
ever forgive him. when he announced
publicly that Greece would not respect
her alliance with Serbia. From the
day of his perfidy toward Serbia, and
my, Bulgaria, dates his gradual de-
cline. until today, rid Of his dishonor-
able presence. Greece faces new era.