The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-02-26

: NBy d SE2n Correspondents
Athens, January liking Constan-
correspondent in audience this morn
ing just before the latter left for
America. This liz the Greek new years
day. and before the interview the COR
respondent assisted with King Con-
stantine, Queen Sophie, the Princess
Helen. and the young Prince Paul, at
the time-honored new years cere-
mony at which band of Greeks
chant choruses In praise Of king and
country In the great hall Of the pal
ace.
IT am sorry you are leaving US"
King Constantine began abruptly, Z
don't believe that there is a man OF
woman in Greece who does not feel
very profoundly what q great thing
It has been for us during this most
critical period in our national history
to have correspondent OF The Assoc
ciated Press here to tell the world
with absolute impartiality the truth
Of what Is taking place. They tell me,
however, that a good many Of your
kilograms to The Associated Press
never got through the censors?" The
king laughed little ruefully, You
have nothing on me-" he added,
neither do NINE"
81 am afraid there is no way" he
went on. I'VE might as well be in O
dungeon here for all the touch we
have with the rest OF the world. The
most ridiculous. the most outrageous
nonsense about what 10 happening In
Greece is published daily in the Eur
opean press presumably were written
by journalists who are not even on the
spot to see the facts for themselves.
fetal denials Of them the European
newspapers will not even publish the
denials,
"Take this letter for example. AS
you see It il from ex- Mayor Bennalkis
who was arrested on December 2, DUR
Ing the attempted Vanizelist revolu-
ton. A French newspaper publishes
o story that Bennakis was SO badly
mistreated that his right arm had to
be amputated and. he was on the
point OF death. Far from having his
arm amputated he writes me q letter
with 1T, as you see, expressing his
gratitude for the kindness with which
he was treated and assuring me that
he is my most loyal and devoted sub
personally Investigated the treatment
of those who are imprisoned on the
charge OF sedition as q result Of the
abortive revolution of December 1 and
2, and told me himself that he found
them very comfortable. My govern
ment, therefore, telegraphed the
French press denial of the Bennakis
similar fabrications. but have never
heard Of any OF the denials being pub.
lished.
AFTER all, all we ask is fair play.
We have been sorely tried these past
two years and we don't pretend to
have always been angles under the
constant irritation of the ever-increas-
ing allied control OF every little thing
in our own private life-letters, tele-
grams, police, everything. Why do
you know that my sister-in-law,
Princess Alice OF Battenburg, was
only permitted to receive telegram
of Christmas greetings from her moth
er in England by courtesy Of the
British legation here?
Moreover by taking an active hand
in our own internal politics, England
and France especially have succeeded
in alternating an admiration, a SYM
patty and a. devotion towards them on
the part Of the Greek people that, at
the beginning Of the war, was virtual
ly unanimous tradition. ] am a
soldier myself and l know nothing
about politics. but it seems to me that
when you start with almost the whole
of country passionately in your
favor and end with it almost unani-
mously against you, you haven't sue
ceeded very we'll. And ! quite UNDER
stand how those responsible for such
O result seek to excuse themselves By
exaggerating the difficulties they have
had to contend with in Greece,-by
talking about Greek treachery and the
immense sinister organization of
German propaganda that has foiled
them at every turn and so on. The
only trouble with that is that they
make us pay for the errors of their
policy. The people OF Greece are pay
ing for them now in suffering and
death from exposure and hunger
while France and England starve us
out because they have made the mis-