The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1920-12-10
THE FALL OF VENIZELOS.

publics might be regarded as striking
ly exemplifed in the result OF the
Greek elections. The paramount feat
ure was the overwhelming defeat OF
the Prime Minister, Eleutherios Veni-
zelos. His rejection by the electorate
was more complete and crushing than
that of any other minister in our day.
Yet there was nobody in this genera
ton, if indeed in the whole century
of Modern Greek history, who had
done more for the greatness of Greece
and who more deserved the approval,
the confidence and the support of the
Greek people. 1t was just ten years
ago that the Encyclopedia Britannica
called Charilaos Trikoupes "the only
great statesman whom Modern
Greece has produced" That was then
true, for it was only that very year,
1910, that Venizelos emerged from
provincial obscurity and entered up
en- the extraordinary career which
has probably assured him a greater
place in history than the journalist
statesman who directed Greek affairs
throughout aepreceding generation
It was Venizelos who first made
Prince George fef Greece High Com
missioner for Crete, and reorganized
Cretan jurisprudence, and then an
nexed Crete outright to Greece, and
reformed the Greek Constitution. He
was the guiding spirit Of the Balkan
League which redeemed Macedonia,
Albania and most of Thrace from
Turkish rule, and which in a second
war defeated the ambitious designs
of Bulgaria. 1t was he who would have
rallied the whole Balkan League, Bull
garia included, against the Central
Powers in 1914; and who, when it
was too late for that, at least held
Greece in line for civilization, and
drove the trimmer king, "Tino," from
the throne. It was he who led Greece
into the war at last, and at its end
won for her greater advantages pro-
portionately than any other nation
secured; restoring to her the ancient
empire of the Isles and Asia. All these
and other great achievements were
within the compass of ten years.
Yet now, at the behest and for the
advantage of the unworthy king
whom he dethroned and expelled,
Venizelos is repudiated and rejected
by the people. of Greece. We said in
these pages only last week that SO
strong was the antipathy toward the
Latin nations that large part, II
not a majority of the Greeks, would
incline toward affiliation with Ger
many, rather than yield to French OF
Italian influences. Well, great ma
jority of the Greek voters did, the
very day after we said those words,
incline toward Germany rather than
support and follow the patriot-states'
man who had cultivated close rela-
tions with the Latin Powers. For it
was not so much the puppet "Tino" as
his formidable Prussian wife that di-
rected the antipathy to Venizelos.
There can be no doubt that the fall
of Venizelos means grave complica-
tions. The restoration of Constantine,
or the accession of any Prince who
would permit his return to Greece and
favor his policies, would naturally be
disliked and might be prohibited by
the Great Powers; though now sucn
dominance over an independent State
would be justified in the League of
Nations, we are at loss to determine
Whatever happens, however, the Unit
ed States is we'll out of it. We can see
no justification for the pretence that
this country is entitled to interpose
it's veto against the restoration of
Constantine. That is precisely the sort
of thing that the Monroe Doctrine
wisely and prudently pledges US not
I to meddle with, and the Monroe Doc
trine is not yet abrogated.-Harper's
Weekly.