Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1917-06-14

demonstrations and to maintain peace.
Agitators were still attempting to oper-
ate in the streets of Athens tonight. but
there were no disorders. and everything
leads to the belief that there will be none.
Born on August 8, 1868, Constantine
was educated largely by private tutors
from Leipsic, which was said to have
stamped upon him a permanent Ger
man influence. His military education
was furthered by attendance at man
oeuvres in Germany.
With the entrance of Turkey into
the European war the question Of the
| Intervention of Greece soon became to
be seriously considered but King Con-
stantine insisted upon strict neu-
trality. The cabinet. headed by Pre-
mier Venizelos, which was for war on
| the side of the allies, fally rendered
| its resignation. The Greek attitude, at
least so far as the war party was con-
cerned. was largely to the effect that
if Greece had no hand in the war, her
| interests might suffer when peace was
| arranged.
With the commencement of the op-
Grafton against the Dardanelles the
government believed the time had
| come for Greece to abandon her neu-
trality. The King, however. refused to
!
that sending forces to the Dardanelles
would dangerously weaken Greece's
defense on the Bulgarian frontier
Queen Sophia was regarded as Bit
terly opposed to Greece joining the
war on the entente side and it was re-
ported that she had threatened to leave
Greece If that event transpired.
AS the war progressed a provisional
government under Venizelos was es-
tablished and the entente powers laid
an embargo on supplies for Greece.
Since April of this year there have been
recurrent rumors that Constantine eithe,
would be dethroned by the entente pow
ers or that he would abdicate in favor
of the Crown Prince. The feeling against
the King had been aroused to such ar
extent that a great demonstration was
held in Salonilli May s at which the
crowds cheered the speakers with shout:
of long live Nenizelos." long live
the national government and "dowr
with the King" The mayor of Salonik
presided and proposed a resolution pro-
claiming the disposition of Constantine
but the crowd insisted that the entire
dynasty should be removed.
In the latter part Of April the Greel
charge d'affaires at Washington issued &
long statement which contained messag,
denying published reports tending t.
show that Constantine had been hostil,
to the allies or had expressed the hop,
of the success Of the aims of "one Of thu
belligerents, or to have expressed himsel
in hostile fashion toward one Of the bel
ligerents or had spoken in any way what
; soever in the sense of said opinions a,
tributed to him. The King also deniet
that he or his government ever marlboro,
, hostile intentions of any kind toward tn
; entente
The approaching climax to the situation
which has long prevailed in Greece wa
: outlined succinctly in despatch to Lon
!; don newspaper from Athans May 2. TIL
despatch said:
The King is steadily losing followers
Fifty-seven officers recently left in on
day for Saloniki. and the stream is con
tinung. Since the provisional government
declared that the population Of any terri
tory seeding hereafter to the nationa
government will not be modified. tn
last plank was knocked from under tn
: Kings feet. and it is at least most doubt
full If any of the rank and file will b
found to stand between him and hi
fate"
There is no doubt that Prince Georg,
4 the crown prince. was supplanted by hi
younger brother. Prince Alexander, OWN
to his wetll known pro-German sentiment
$ Although he has taken little part. so ia
q as is known. in the turmoil prevailing
r Greece. various reports have indicate
: that he was opposed to his former frient
y Eliptherios Venizelos. and all others VIII
S sided with the entente. This feeling wa
d probably engendered by his German mott
err. Queen Sophia. Last year it was sal
: Prince George had gone to Berlin an
: Vienna on important missions to the Ge
r man and Austrian Empress. The crow
e prince is q years old.