The Washington times., 1917-06-13

Turkey into the war the question Of
the intervention OF Greece came at
once to be seriously considered The
King insisted upon a policy OF strict
neutrality. In this attitude he turn
ed a deaf ear to the powerful argu-
ments and the shrewd advice OF
Venizelos. then premier.
Later Constantine went out Of his
way 10 insult Venizelos by publicly
accusing him OF mendacity and BY
repudiating negotiations with foreign
governments undertaken with the full
knowledge and consent of the throne.
In the beginning the attitude Of the
Greek war party was largely TO the
effect that II the country had no part
in the war her interests would sufer
greatly when the time came to ar
range terms Of peace.
II was at the instigation Of his
Prussian eonsort that the King COM
mitted himself to a policy diametrl-
cally opposed to one Of the shrewd-
est statesmen Of southern Europe and
man whose affection for Greece was
deeply rooted. Since the very begin
ming Of the war Queen Sophia. ae-
cording to persistently repeated re-
ports, never denied. has received from
the military attache Of the German
Legation In Athens copies OF the often
mendacious reports Issued by the war
department In Berlin; reports which
convey the impression that the Teu-
ton arms are almost uniformly VIC
torious on every front
Queens Mastery Evident.
She IL also in constant communiea-
ton with the Kaiser. with whom she
became completely reconciled years
ago. In all the succeeding crises
when Greece seemed on the verge Of
entering the war and when venizelos
and other leaders used their eloquence
TO induce the King to adopt q course
fair to the allies, the hand OF Sophia,
checking him from any. course in
opposition to the Kaiser's wishes, may
be seen.
, OF less influence but yet not without
effect in holding Constantine to a pol
icy Of so-caIled neutrality In the first
days Of the war was his military en-
tourage. headed by General Metaxas,
which was composed exclusively Of Of
fcers who had received their training
under German officers at Posdam.
With the beginning OF operations
against the Dardanelles. venizelos and
his followers renewed their plea for
an alteration IN Greece's position. The
entente powers asked for the nations
cooperation In these activities. but the
King argued that the sending OF
force to the Dardanelles would dan
gerously weaken Greece's defenses on
the Bulgarian frontier.
The powers assured Greece OF their
support in the event OF an attack by
Bulgaria and also offered her extern
sive territorial concessions IN Asia
Minor. senizelos, with Constantine's
consent. began negotiations with King
Ferdinand OF Bulgaria, offering as the
price of Bulgaria's neutrality q strip
of territory comprising Kavala- along
her northern frontier. This was IN
January. 1915.
VeniEeIos Suspected Queen.
venizelos meanwhile suspected the
Queen He began to realize that she
was exerting a powerful influence in
her effort to prevent action with the
entente. and as an Offset demanded the
submission Of the whole matter to q
council OF the crown, to which the
former Premier, General Dousmanis,
and other leading statesmen were
summoned.
At the conference held March at
the royal palace, in the Kings pres-
ence, VeniEelos argued that even II
Greece surrendered a small tract to
Bulgaria she would gain. according
to the pledges OF the allies, a very
much larger territory in Asia Minor.
The council was enthusiastically In
favor of the stand taken by Vent
zelos and by the former premiers.
Rail-, Theotokis, and zalmis. The
King gave the Impression that his
consent would be forthcoming soon.
but expressed q desire to take the
question under AMUSEMENT On the
very next day he summoned venizelos
to the palace and announced that he
had determined that II would be
more advantageous for Greece to re-
main neutral, that further negotia-
lions with Bulgaria were unneces-
sary, and that the allies invitation
for cooperation against the Darda-
nelles must be declined. At this
Venizelos resigned the premiership,
More recently Constantine In an
official statement has denied that he
ever authorized venizelos to suggest
to Bulgaria the cession of even the
fraction OF a mile OF Greek territory
as the price Of her neutrality or
support.
The occupation by entente troops
of a part Of Macedonia and the SELF
ure OF Salonilxi as their base involved
Constantine in. long series of
clashes with entente commanders. He
was accused Of evasion and an at
tempt to gain time in the hope that
Germany would assemble on the
Macedonian front sufficient troops to
overwhelm the allied forces. It was
charged that the King and his gov
eminent laid a trap for the entente
troops which occupied a part of
Athens to enforce a demand for the
surrender OF Greek guns to the Teu-
tonic powers.
Greek reservists fred upon the
French and British forces. but Con-
stantine was reported to have. or
dered the firing stopped after about
200 casualties had occurred. Six bat
teries OF mountain guns were given
up to the allies. and the King reach
ed a temporary understanding with
the entente commander.
ArraIEnment of King.
Meanwhile Venizelos set up his
provisional government This rapid
ly grew in strength and gained the
recognition of the allied powers. In
September last Venizel6s addressed to
the King a long statement, in which
he reviewed the monarch's course
unce the beginning of the war and