Evening star., 1921-07-27
ny HIRAM X. MODERwELL.


Correspondence Of The Star and Chicago Daily
PARIS. July 2.-Nothing perhaps is
more astonishing among political events
than the fiuctuation in the fortunes of
Greece since the armistice. A country
which ten years ago was half oriental
peasant land of 100000 population or
less became in 1919 a nation of 7.OOO.-
900, started on a victorious campaign
Of conquest which seemed to be leading
to an empire on two continents. with
commercial hegemony on the eastern
Mediterranean. and having for lts pus,
ness capital one of the half dozen lead
ing commercial cities of the world, the
matchIess. resplendent matrix of en-
observation-disclosures. Then-rife shots
and cheers. the return of the king, the
attack on the Turks and-defeat.
Every person with an AK to grind Is
ready to tell you just why Greece's mis-
fortune has come upon her. To the
French politician 1t is -ecause Of her
'ingratitude" toward VeniZelos or her
"treachcry' in recalling King Constan-
tine. To the Constantinist it is because
the entente failed to support its ally
and it's own best interest in Withdraw
ing support on the eve OF the war
against Kemal. To the yenizelist in
Greece 1t is because the Constantinist
government cashiered the VenizeliSt Of
ficers and put inexperienced royalists in
their places. But the non party observer
sees more than one reason to account
for the present situation.
Veni.eIists Reject Theory.
. The Greek yenizelists do not accept
the French theory that it is the punish
ment for treachery. They were heartily
in favor of the general attack on the
Turks made in March by the Constan-
tinist government. They boasted as
loudly as the royalists that the Greek
armies would have "a military promen-
ade to Angora." Though they hated
Constantine, they thoroughly approved
of his policy. And Greek royalists SINH
larly do not accept the French theory
that Greece's moment of greatness was
that not Venizelos' diplomacy. but
Greece's geographical position brought
her all those windfalls of territory which
the allies did not know how to dispose
stantine, would nave received Thrace,
which could not we'll be left either to
the enemy Bulgaria or the enemy Tur-
key. Greece, even under Constantine.
Of the entente to make punitive expe-
dition against Kemal which none of the
western armies would undertake, and to
receive a slice Of Antolia in return.
And Greece. even under Constantine.
has as good a chance as ever to receive
Constantinopie II it should suit the
rather devious purposes of the entente.
The truth is that any snap judgment
on Greece is likely to be wrong. because
the world in general does not under
stand the complex nature of the Greek
people. The world was mystified by the
intrigues of Constantine and by the re-
pudiation of Venizelos First. because
allied propaganda. and afterward Veni-
I. zelist propaganda. threw a veil over the
true state of affairs. In reality Greece
never groaned under the tyranny" Of
Constantine. never clamored to come
into the war on the side of the allies,
never wanted a republic. never hailed
Venizelos as her deliverer
Was Military DespOtism.
or course, in sober reality (now that
the war Is over there Is no reason why
this should not be todd the government
Of VenizeloS was a simple. military des-
potism made possible by the guns of the
allies. and maintained. without regard
to the constitution by an extraordinary
series Of arbitrary and tyrannical acts.
Please do not take this statement as a
declaration of partisanship for one side