Evening star., 1918-02-24
BY CHARLES M. PEPPER.
, REECE again comes to the fore
front The possibility of active
I military operations in the near

N front The possibility of active
VI military operations in the near
~ east is one reason The at
tempted mutiny of two or three regi-
ments and the prompt punishment of
the officers who fonented it also have
directed attention to the developments
in the Aegean.
The Venizelos government, under the
protection of the allies. is in full con-
troll There is a king, but nobody re-
members his name.
Ex-King Constantine. in his exile in
Switzerland. with a few of his royalist
and pro-German supporters. still seeks
to maintain the monarchical preroga-
tives and court spIendor. Newspaper
dispatches not long ago told of the
fourteen automobiles which were neces-
sary for Constantine and his suite
whenever he sought recreation by Wis
iting the theater-
Funds for keeping up the ex-king
undoubtedly come from Germany. The
kaiser was greatly outraged when the
allies put forth a strong hand in Athens
and Ousted his brother-in-law, but 1t IS
likely that the German money spent on
an exiled Constantine is insignificant
In comparison with that which has
Deen spent IN 1fSeCS III tTylHS " upset
the provisional governmen of Nenizelos.
zeloS.
The plan was similar to that follow
ed with success in northern Italy.
Regiments of the army remote from
Athens were led to believe that Veni-
zelos had been ousted by a revolution
and that Athens was seeking to make
peace with Germany. The propaganda
apparently was ineffective. since only
a small number of the troops were led by
their disloya1 officers into mutiny. The
reaction has been felt throughout
Greece. and the Venizelos government
consequently has been strengthened.
This does not mean that there are no
supporters of Constantine left in
Greece, but IL does mean that the Ger
men intrigues have not accomplished
anything. Yet there are still Greclan
n pacifsts who, so far as they dare. set
forth the danger of Germanic erup-
ton, which will crush Greece as Serbia
2as crushed. unless the allies are aban-
doped and terms made with the central
the first two years of the war. when
the diplomatic bIunders of the allies
played into the hands of the pro-Ger-
man party. 1t has less force now since
Constantine has been ousted and the
pro-German army officers and civilian
officials have been dismissed
While the attention of the world has
been directed to Italy and to Russia,
good deal has been going on in Greece.
The Greek army has been thoroughly
reorganized under generals who are
loyal not simply to Greece but to the
entente allies Formerly there were
some officers holding high commands
who, while not disloyal. or even dis
tinctively pro-German, were hostile to
both England and France. and pro-
fessed no faith in their ability to de-
feat the central powers
Not much publicity is given to what
the Greek army is doing, but there are
intimations that it now is in position
to support any movement that the half
million allied troops at Saloniki may
make. When Gen. Sarrail, who had
years. was recalled by the French gov
ernment there was feeling of relief
in England This was reflected by
American military and civilian officials
who knew something of the Greek
situation.
Sarrail was replaced by Gen. Guillau-
mat, one of the heroes of Verdun-
Neither military nor non-military OBJ
servers have believed that the half mil
lion allied troops at SaIonilsi were kept
there just to be thrown into the sea
whenever the German general staff got
ready and a German offensive should
be undertaken. Yet with Sarrail in
command there was always some ap-
prehension. possibly unjust. that this
might happen.
With Gen. Guillaumat as commander
in-cfief confidence has heen restored
and tins confidence undoubtedly is per-
meatihg the Grecian army Whether
the German offensive will be against