The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1921-06-10

prepared by the National Geographic So
ciety. Washington, D. c.
Greece, In carrying on in Asia MI
nor, against the Turkish Nationalists,
what may be called the only major
war now in progress, attracts atten-
ton anew to the prolonged presence
of the Greeks on the world stage.
There are few parallels to the strik-
ing racial phenomenon Of Hellenic
continuity throughout the vicissitudes
of 1900 years. Modern research has
penetrated the dark byways Of me-
dleval Greek history, and we now
know that the Greeks, whatever their
temporary fate, have preserved un-
broken the thread of their national
existence.
The frmest bond which unites the
Greek Of today with his illustrious
forebears Of the golden age is the
Greek language, the essential ele-
ments Of which remain as they we're
in the days when the tongue served
as the medium Of the noblest poetry
and the subimest philosophy which
the race has yet produced. This
tongue traces its unbroken lineage
back through medieval and New Tes-
lament Greek TO the classic speech OF
Plato and of his contemporaries
And yet, with all this continuity
Of language, there exists now in
Greece a linguistic condition of af-
fairs around which centers a contro-
versy at once comic or tragic; for
there are in Greece two languages,
or, rather, the one language in two
forms-one written by the newspa-
pers, spoken by the educated classes,
and used in parliamentary debates
and in public documents, including
the Scriptures, the circulation of
which is regulated by law; and the
other q vernacular used by the mass
es Of the people, containing many
words Of foreign origin, especially
Turkish and Italian, arising from
those periods Of foreign occupation,
with much simplifed grammar rare
ly reduced to writing, except for pri-
vate communications. The former is
the cultured tongue; the latter the
popular idiom; and between the two
there RACES merciless warfare. in
which fanatical students of the uni
versity have lost their lives, ministers
their portfolios, and a Metropolitan
Of Athens his inter
Greece Of Today Almost New.
Greece of today looks back only
three generations, II one places its
origin in the war for independence
which was concluded by the protocol
OF London in 1890; and, witnessing
the progress which in that brief span
has been made in land Of such
sparse resources, one cannot see how
praise can be withheld from peo
pie who have accomplished so much
When the city OF Athens passed
from Turkish control and was des
ignated as the capital Of the new free
kingdom of Greece, IL was mere
handful of wretched huts clustered
about the Acropolis. Today 1t is Q
thoroughly modern city, with splen
did streets, magnificent public build
ings, handsome residences, attractive
parks, and most Of the modern i'm
provements Of which western cities
boast. The building Of this city alone
in land Of such scanty resources is
fairly comparable to the development
Of our own rich West, and as meri
torious when all the circumstances
are considered Indeed, had the Greel
OF today nothing to his credit save
the building Of the attractive capita
Of his nation, that alone would be
sufficient to rank him among the con
structive agencies OF the modern
world
Iu this city OF old memories ant
new hopes Greek life centers now a.
in It's classic days, and here ancient
aud modern Greece are inextricably
mingled 10 a curious medley OF mo
deruity and antiquity which colors IN,
most ordinary OF everyday affairs
On every hand arise the shattered
monuments OF its splendid past, anC
even the tiniest fragments whicl
serve TO link the life Of the presen
with the days that are gone are mos
carefully preserved.
Guards Its Antlquitlea
The Greek government is keenly
alive to its responsibility for the safe
guarding Of its antiquities, and th'
department OF archaeology, under th'
charge Of the ministry OF education
and religion. is painstakingly organ
ired and prudently administered. Th'
museums at Athens are handsomely
housed. conveniently arranged, nc
curately catslogued, and open to in
spectlon and study without fee, thi'
later being a point OF great prid'
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