Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-10-26
GREEK KING DIES
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Unable to Withstand the gossip a
Athens, despite the announcement of tn
| king that she was le gally married II
him, Mile. Manos went to Paris. whert
she was Joined by the king early this year
| On the kings return the popular pres
of Athens, led by the Journal sot the
Hellenes, advised Parliament to. make
+, the marriage regular, so that his VIE
| might be regarded as his consort, theii
children enjoying all the prcrogatives OF
| ROYALTY, or at seast, to recognize her as
the morganatic wife, as Ind been done
in the case of the heir-presumptive to
the Austro- Hungarian throne, the iate
Archduke Franz Ferdinand and the
Countess Sophia Chotek, afterwards frin,
cess Hohenberp. both of whom renounced
the right of their future children to sue
ceed to the Hapsburg throne. great
point was made OF her Greek lineage. on
the other hand, the Constantine press,
led by the Echo of Greece and the ar,s-
tocracy, the military, and, some say, the
prime minister, opposed recognition. r.h2-
fish influence in Greece, represented by
the Anglo-Hellenic League, was for recog-
milton; French influence was not.
There the matter stood, when the kihg
was bitten by his pet monkey. which
had engaged in fight with ms dog,
on October 2. When on octopor IL the
French expert, DR.. Vidal, pronounced tne
kings case as ''most critical, the ques-
ton of success M Immediately arose
King Constantine had never abdicated,
SO the heir apparent was still hls eldest
son, the Duke of Sparta Ii was, deemed,
however. that the reasons which caused
l.
Prince Pavlos (PauD Alexander's young
er brother, born in Athens in 1901, was
also spoken of as Alexander's successor,
but the Echo of Greece stated that his
father would never consent to his be-
coming king. There was a sinister re-
vival in the Constantine clubs Of Attn
ems of the plot which had nearly cost the
prime minister his life in Paris IN Au-
gust, which kept the police busy until the
end. Permission for Constantine and
his wife TO visit their sick son WAS re-
quested and declined,
On October Ia two candidates were
being commented on by the press OF Lon
don and Paris; Prince Arthur Of Connaugh
who was said TO have English backing,
and Prince Sixtus of Bourbon-Parma,
who had carried on the negotiations tor
an Austrian separate peace with nus
brother-in-law, Emperor Charles, and
who wa. supposed to have French back
ing.
There is a large party in Greece which
desires a republic, with NJ. Nenizelos as
the first President, but he discouraged
their desires in 1917, when he said that
the Greeks were not ready for repub-
lie. and is understood to have done so
again. being satisfied, according to the
Athens Foreign Office, on October Is,
with the choice of either Prince Arthur or
Prince Sixtus. .
Constantine was reported, according
10 Swiss dispatches Of October IL, as in
tending TO take advantage Of the sltua-
tion created by his sons grave illness
by returning to Greece and claiming the
throne.
About the same time a regency was
suggested, and Constantine gave bis
opinion of this as follows:
Sufficient unto the day is the evil
thereof. / will not think Of q regency
yet. My plans are those of my people.
Premier Venizelos last Sunday ex-
pressed himself as confident that Prince
Paul would not be prevented from TAX
ing the throne by his father, as the latter
would learn from the coming elections that
there was no prospect for has return.
It is probable that the old chamber
will be reconvened owing to the king
death, to consider what steps are TO be
taken before the new chamber meets.
Athens. Oct. 26-Many difficulties
regarding succession TO the Greek throne
viii result from the death OF hing Alex
ander. which occurred last night. There
- ~h-N-Na
offered to Prince Paul, third son Of former
King Constantine, but as condlfion hfng
Constantine must formally abdicate, and
Prince George, older brother OF Prince
Paul, must renounce his rights.
II is probable that King Constantine
viii at first refuse 10 meet these conditions,
but it is understood Premier Nenlzelos
viii produce arguments OF some I'M
portance. =,
Constantine's financial status Is well
known and it is the understanding that
the premier Will agree 10 restore the former
kings suppressed pension II the terms are
accepted.
Only in the event Of Constantine's per-
sistent refusal would there be question
Of the establishment of q republic but 1t Is
known Premier Yer izelos is Of the opinion
that Greece is not yet ripe for that form
of government.
There is also a possibility OF offering
the throne TO a foreign prince but the pre-
rnier is reluctant 10 take such step.
Elections for the new Greek National
Assembly have been postponed one week,
it is announced. They were to have been
held on November 8.
Admiral P. Coundouriotis, former min
lister of marine, is believed TO be the
government official most favored for the
appointment as regent of Greece, TO hold
Office until the successor of King Alexander
ascends the throne. He was formerly
member of the Salonih government and
IS known to be friendly to the entente.
cnDr IDpITATCn TupnAT