Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-10-21

| was D2u pOlltlcS. IL Soh'i'uc 'hS
war to it's successful elimination
appeared as the elementary duty OF
the new regime. Thus the Greek
government resting on the parlimcn-
| tary majority of Mr.. Demitrios Gou-
naris adopted with regard to Asia
Minor, an aggressive military policy,
! coupled with a persistent diplomatic
effort for the conclusion OF just
and honorable peace.
The Allies in the meantime consid-
cring both the general election oil
1920 and the recall of King Constan-
tine as a persona! affront, and en-
! tirely oblivious of the fact that it
was their mcddlesome policy in the
| internal management of Greek af-
fairs that identified Mr.. Ncnizelos
with the subjugation of Greek inter-
ests to those of the Great powers.
and made of Constantine the Symbol
of Hellenic independence, rs soon as
their man fell from power, declared
q diplomatic and economic blockade
o: Greece.
The most interesting point in this
connection is that this government of
| the United States took the same view
towards a free and constitutionally
| governed people, who have just as
much right to be ruled by Mcssrs.
| Gounaris and Stratos. as we have
! the right to bc administered By
| Mcssrs. Harding and Coolidge.
Under this additional difficulty, the
Greek army took the field last year,
and following series of victorious
campaigns, became the masters of an
extensive territory 10000 square
| kilomoters wide, including the only
railroad of tho country, and all but
| captured Angora in the most SAN
culinary battle of the entire Asia Mi
nor war. 1t was then that the
Greeks came face TO face with the
now forces working against them in
the field, because the strengthening
of the Greek army against Renal
brought about closer relationship
between Nationalist Turkey and
France. The Greek campaign had
shown the possibilities of the re-
constitution of the Byzantine En-
prc, and the establishment of an
overwhelming Hellenic preponder-
ance in the eastern Mediterranean.
The spectre of victorious Greece
closely allied with Great Britain was
too much for the French, who had
always objected to a British liCgc-
mony in the Near East, while a
greater Greece was anathcma to It
allan craftsmanship.
Greece was already branded as
Jy,.;{ 49,, a
given substance enough to make even
Soviet Russia lean towards Mustlpha
Renal in an effort to thwart tthc
British scheme of domination Of the
Near East through n victorious Hell
lenism. France playing her land
clcverly and boldly, threw off the
mask of alliance and came out Open
ly in favor of Turkey and Islam,
with Italy and Soviet Russia fol-
lowing closely behind. Great Brit-
ain was thus branded before the
whole Moslcm world as a power that
betrayed and fought Caliphate for
the sake of Greece. Fearful that any
assistance given to Greece would
strengthen the Pan Islamst poilcy
Of France, Great Britain abandoned
the Greeks to their own fate. much
as she desired their success. Whether
the men in charge of the Greek GOV
eminent saw through all this is a
debatable question. One thing. how
ever. they could not help seeing was
their isolation, and their increasing
difficulties. Ten years under the
colors began to tell on the morals
of the army: public funds were run
ming low: n foreign loan remained
out of the question and an internal
loan proved to be highly unpopular.
To put an end to situation be- |
coming daily more intolerable. the |!
Greek government, after having re-
Jected all proposals of the Allies to |
abandon Asia Minor. decided to end |
1t all by bold strike. namely by an |
advance on COnstantifople This !
would serve double purpose. First. /,
IT would give n plausible reason for !
the evacuasion Of Asia Minor, which |
would become an autonomous state |
under the protection of the League /
OF Nations, and second. it would |
forestall any Turkish attach against |
the Greek front. inasmuch as Greek
occupation Of Constantinople would
place threatening hostile army on The
right flank Of Renal.
The Allies turned down both tho
Greek plan for the possession of
and the plan for the
autonomy Of Asia Minor. A meet
ing was to be called in Venice to
discuss the preliminares of the
evacuation OF Asia Minor by the
Greeks. The Greek government de-
clded not to await the result of these
delIverations and began to cvacuatc
me country. when Renal was in
formed of the weakness of the Greek
front at Afiun Kara Hassar. Heavily
armed, with an ample number of
French sevcntyfives, fully equipped
with French and Italian aircraft
with plenty OF motor driven trucks
and tanks. and amply served 5v n