Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-04-30
SAN RENO GRANTS
JUSTICE TO GREECE
$4,000 Square Miles Of New
Territory Added to
Domains.
BY FRANK II. SIMONDS.

! Amidst all the confusion of San
/ Reno rumors the fact detaches itself
! that Nenizelos is at last to have his
reward and Greece is to obtain sub
stantial justice. So far. all reports
! are in accord that Greece is to OBJ
! tain the whole of Thrace. Bulgarian
as well as Turkish fractions included.
/ and thus occupy the entire region
| between the Bulgarian frontier and
! the bases of the Constantinople and
| Gallipol peninSulas. In addition. she
| is to receive Smyrna and substan-
tial hinterland and portions of north
| ern Epirus. What remains matter
| of doubt is whether she or Albania
| viii have koritiza.
| Put into figures. this means that
| Greece will obtain in Europe new
| territories having an area of approx
!! mately 10000 square miles. a little
! less than the combined areas of
Massachusetts and Connecticut. and
Il population, in round numbers.
| amounting to 100000 at the last
| census. But the last census was
| Turkish rule. and is VIGOROUSLY in
! exact. In addition, three wars have
! passed over this country since this
numbering and swept away large per-
| centages of the inhabitants. while
| changes of rulers-portions of Thrace
! have been Turkish. Greek. Bulgarian.
| and are now to be Greek again. all
| in the span of eight years-have pro-
! duced much migration. voluntary and
| involuntary alike.
| Size of Enlarged Greece.
! In Asia the Smyrna grant. despite
give Greece approximately 5000
! square miles with population of
much more than 100000. Hellenic in
majority. Thus Greece energies from
| the last trial state with an area
of rather more than 10000 square
miles having a population of approx
| mately 100000. She is. then. in
area more than half as large as Italy.
in population somewhat smaller than
| Belgium.
A quarter of a century ago. when
VeniZelos came from Crete to begin
his great work. Greece. just beaten in
a Turkish war,-was state with
population of less than 100000, liv-
ing on territory of some $4,000
square miles Athens, with the
! Piraeus. was the single considerable
\ city. railway communications were
I totally inadequate. Greece was iso
! lated from the rest of Europe and
order within the boundaries was en-
Il tireIy lacking. BY the Turkish war
| Greece had lost the sympa thy of Eu-
4 rope and her dynasty had lost all do
| nestle regard.
/ From the moment of his arrival and
!, for nearly two decades thereafter
| Venizelos applied himself to the task
i of domestic reorganization. Not un-
| til 1912 was he ready to pursue his
| larger detectives. But in these years
| he had regained for Greece the SYM
1 pathy of the world and he had also
] achieved the impossible in establish
! ing an alliance between Serbia. Bull
| garia and Greece against the Turk.
{. The result of this alliance was the
l first Balkan war with its swift over
1 throw of Turkish power in Europe. to
4 !. tlicn Greek armies contributed hon
/ orably.
/ In the negotiations which followed
+; victory Venizelos displayed real
! statesmanlike moderation. but Bulga-
ria. spurning all proposals. attacked
/ Serbia and Greece Bulgarian defeat
| resulted in a new division of terri
1 tories at Bucharest. and in this div
/; sion Greece obtained some 100000
people. the regions about Janina, Sa-
/ toniki and kavala, together with the
great city of Saloniki. only Italian
i jealousy prevented her from obtain
ing her full deserts on the Albanian
side.
Greece In World War.
II In, the world war Constantine near
/ ly spoiled the results of NeniZelos
labors and just missed enlisting
4 Greece on the German side. But IN
the end Venizelos saved his country
:
ices. At Paris he was one of the con-
spicuous figures and it was recognized
that Greek claims would be nonored
on his account. Cnhappily President
4 Greece and the Greek case was adj
|. journed.
/ BY the later decision at San Reno
1 Greece is now to add Smyrna and
drianople to Saloniki. Holding Sa-
loniki and. Smyrna. as we'll as her
original part of the Piraeus. she be
comes once more the great CONNER
cial power Of the Aegean, regalnS
position which was Hellenic in the
first days of Greek greatness and
again in the period of the empire.
Moreover. the extension of the Orient
railway from Saloniki southwark has
brought Athens in direct rail com
munication with Europe and given
southern end of the European railway
systems.
Future of ConstantinopIc.
Still Venizelos has work to do. To
realize Greek ambitions CONSTANT
nople must be rNgained. and it seems
clear that the present Constantinop-e
is to be occupied by allied troops. to
be in some fashion British possess
sion. BY acquiring Thrace. however.
Greece closes the approach of any
land power to the Golden Horn. ana
nothing seems more likely than that
in due course of time Greek claims
will be recognized. and after nearly
six centuries Greek ruler will re-
turn to Byzantium.
In the Aegean Italy still holds
Greek islands. the Dedecanesus and
Rhodes. while in the eastern Med
iterranean Great Britain retains
Cyprus. But Britain offered cyprus
to Greece in 1915 and there seems to
be a growing willingness in London
to repeat the generosity of the last
century. when Corfu and the adjoir-
ing islands were bestowed upon
Greece by the British government of
that hour.
Italy Fears Greece ~ Rival.
1t is different,>with Italy. who re-
sents Greek development and sees il,
Grc ccs future rival in the neai east