The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-11-17
LOCAL GREEKS ARE
 INTERESTED IN HE
 HELLENIC ELECTION
Opinion Is Divided Over Result of VenizeloS' Defeat In Re- cent Race for Office
 of Premier

That the defeat of Venizelos, premier of Greece, will in all
 probability mean another war i in that country which will more
 than likely threaten the peace fuflness of the Balkans, is the
 opinion of a majority of the 1 Heading Greeks of Birmingham. l On the other hand, several iocal Greeks say that the people of their Icountry are tired of war and will not stand for any more, and premier will be elected who will guarantee them peace, as they believe that NeniAelos ifs largely responsible for the wars
 their country has been mixed up in during the past l ? years
 | Arthur Greenwood says that if King | lConstantine is returned to the throne that the only salvation of Greece will l be that the king will follow in the path | that Venizelos has outlined during the I time he was in office.
 THE OLD KING 'I do not think that King Constan- tine will be returned to the throne, says Mir. Greenwood. The people of Greece are tired of kings and realize that their only hope to become q great nation is to become a republic. King Constantine has a larger fol- | lowing in this country than he has in Greece But l don't think they are lstrong enough to put him back on the 1 throne. Greece will not be changed linto republican form of government at an early date, either. To attempt that now will cause q civil war, and that would prove fatal to Greece at the Ipreseut tin1e
 Another thing that will stand be- tween King Constantine and the throne I is his actions during the war. A largo
 per cent of the people of Greece are firm in their belief that King Constan
 tine did not back up the cause of the
 allies as he should. Venizelos did.
 Never in the history of Greece were her
 armies so well equipped as during the
 last war. And yet the people are t,y-
 ing to defeat Venizelos because >f no
 other reason except their country has
 had to fight during the last war the 'same as nearly every other country in 1 the world"
 l Nick Papageorge of tho Greek Amer | ican Produce company says that if Venizelos is defeated that the salva- tion of his country can only come
 about through the interference of England and France
 VENIZELOS, BUILDER
 q have just returned from Greece 8 little over two months ago. said Mir Papageorge. and l believe that Veni-
 zelos is the only man in my country
 that is fit to handle her affairs. He is certainly the only man that England and France and the other nations have
 any confidence in.'
 Mike Velotas, q leading candy mer- chant of Birmingham, says that the new premier Gouraaris is the only enc
 that could hold the office under the existing conditions in Greece today. l With the election of Gounaris cer- tain. Greece is now divided in It's tpin- ion as to whether to become a republic Tor to have Prince Paul or King Con-
 stantine on the throne" says MT. Velo- | tas.
 l When King Constantine was exiled
 and Prince Alexander was placed upon ! the throne of Greece. VenizeIos was made premier by the influence of the Ialiies. Premier Gounaris then lost out | But since that time the voice of the
 people has been united in their call for
 his return to office and when t vas l left to their choice he was elected im-
 mediately. What will be the result [ IAii HUI osly, anu uOu lHlnk that any
 one else can.
 l George Pappas, proprietor of the Lit-
 tie Gem cafe. says that even if Veni.
 zeios is defeated and King Consta ltine lis restored to the throne, or any other
 King is chosen, that 1t VIII be only a matter Of time until they will be call ling upon VenizeIos for advice TIME THEY GREW l T cannot understand why 1t is that the people of my country do such thing as not to elect Venizelos back to 1 the office of premer,' said MT. Pappas
 My country has existed under the .ule
 of kings for many years, and they r4ve
 rever gained thing. During the short
 time that Venizelos has been premier
 the country has been increased nearly
 twice ifs former size Progress. educa- | ton and advancement of the govern
 ment has also taken d brisk step for
 ward as never before in history. The only way l can account for his defaat
 is that the dneducated people of Greece , wers afraid that if he was elected
 that the country would be drawn Into
 another war. At least. that is the ,nly l way 1 can account for it."