New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-06-29
Venizelos Again in Power

weeks. But already pnenomehal progress
has been made in undoing the evil wrought
by his folly. Like the last of the Stuarts,
he betrayed his subjects in his eagerness
to serve foreign interest.
Called TO be the head of a constitutional
monarchy, Constantine attempted to en-
force the WORKOUT doctrine of the DIVINE
Right of Kings. At last the powers which
had guaranteed a constitutional system 70
Greece removed him as a breaker OF con-
tracts-a protege without honor or loyalty.
They delayed intervention lntermlnaDiy'
But the speed with which they have now
restored the constitutional order has set
new record in Near Eastern diplomacy
Had the Allies moved a year ago, or two
wears ago, with the CELEBRITY and decision
which they have recently exhibited IN
Greece, they would not be facing now the
painful results of long chapter of misad-
ventures and failures in the Balkans.
The first thing to do was to restore
the s.atus upset by Constantine's usurpa-
t;ons. He put an end to parliamentary
government by dissolving the Chamber
elected afYer his first break with Venizelos
The peoole sustained Venizelos. They
were clear-headed enough to see that the
Cretan statesmans programme was the
only one through which Greek prestige
could be maintained and Greek interests
safeguarded. They returned Vealzeilst
majority. But Constantine refused 10 DO"
to the popular will. Backed by German
subsidies and the support of an army ring,
he elected his Prime Minister, dismissed
the Chamber and took possession OF the
Government by holding another election,
under military domination, in which the
followers of Venizelos declined to take
mart. Thereafter he ruled Greece as
sovereign in his own right, the inexcusable
INDIGESTION of the Allied powers enabling
him to make Greece for nearly two years
at least passive ally of Germany.
Now the Venizelos parliament is re-
called and Veniz6los is again the head OF
Greek Cabinet. Greece becomes what
majority of her people have always wanted
her to be, in fact, if not in form; an
Entente ally. She had entered into a de-
fensiye coalition with Serbia after the sec
ond Balkan war, binding herself to sup
mort Serbia if Serbia were attacked by
Bulgaria. Constantine repudiated that
agreement. In his blind devotion to Ger
man interests he deserted Serbia and even
ordered his troops to deliver Greek forts
and territory to the Bulgarlans. tie d.
rected Greek troops to surrender and &C
cept internment in Germany rather than
resist Bulgarian invasion Of Greek
Macedonia.
Greece's future depends on the Allies,
and il was madness on her part to refuse
tn associate her fortunes with theirs. Vent
zelos recognized this from the start. He
IS a statesman of vision. He had built up
modern Greece through his coalition with
Serbia. Montenegro and Rumania. He
looked ahead and was willing to JOIN the
Allies in this war, even before Bulgaria
Joined the enemy He did not fear to risk
something in time of universal risks, see
ing that if Turkey were to be dismembered
the hour must strike for revival of Greek
mower and an extension Of Greek SOW
ereignty in Asia Minor.
The Greek islands and Macedonia re-
manned faithful TO him and his ideals.
They threw off Constantines yoke and set
I'D an Independent provisional government
Now the rest of Greece is free to accept
Venizelos's programme. There can be 1T
tie doubt that the great Cretan Will again
unite the Greek people on policy which
will involve the fullest cooperation with the
Entente powers. Greece's strength will be
cast unreservedly into the scale against the
Teutonic alliance.
It will take time, of course, to reorgan-
ize the Greek army and to weed out the
remaining pro-German agents. The main
land of Greece has been bockaded. Sup
plies are low and there has been much
decentralization, economically and POLITICAL
~. The treasury is empty, commerce Is
Frustrated. But the situation will quickly
change for the better, now that the Greek
government has been committed to the
Allied cause. A menace 20 the rear of Sar-
rails Salonica army has been removed, and
that army can look for considerable Greek
reinforcements before the summer is over.
The turn Of fortune in the Balkans has
come at last. II was overdue. Fate seemed
% have stacked the cards in that region
AGAINST the Allies. The naturalization OF
yenizelos's influence through Constantine's
perfdy was the worst single blow dealt the
Entente. Now the Cretan statesman's con-
,tructiye talent and his firm friendship
will have full play.
Greece has much 10 regret and 20 make
recompense for both to him and to the
Allies. And she will make good, because
making good means even more for her
n this juncture than IL does for her new