The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1922-12-15
The Pulse of the Nation

= was the compelling motive for in
/ flicting the penalties, the Dallas
| Journal thinks, and it suggests that
"a country which permitted a Con
stantine to go unscathed should re-
| sort to wholesale slaughter of men
! who had served the Constantine re-
| gime suggests a state of mind that
augurs evil days for her future"
| ministers are depOsed, they are
not placed before a firing squad
argues the New Orleans Times Plea
! yune in pointing out that there might
have been an excuse if the execu-
lions had been committed during a
revolutionary Instruction. but this
was a IegaIized, official act for which
Greece will be charged at the bar of
civilization. MeXicos execution of
MaXimilan was less reprchensible."
The Kansas City Journal also holds
that the time has not come in civil
lied nations when defeat alone is
treason. The time must come when
Greece though frcnzied by an under
standabIe passion of despair and
rage, must realize that by these un-
warranted official murders she has
placed herself, temporarily, beyond
the pale of the civilization of this
! Louis Post Dispatch that "there is
only one redeeming feature in the
Greek revival of barbarous policies.
That is the execution of leaders who
bring a disastrous war of aggression
on their country. If that rule were fol-
lowed in all countries war would be
unpopular. There would be no wars.
We would suggest as an amendment
Of a
the execution of war profiteers. I'm
der such rule the horizon of the
world would be frightened with the
dawn Of world peace. The league of
nations to guarantee peace would be
a success" 1t was the felony of
failure" which was punished &C
cording to tie Lynchburg News, and
Greece has not helped her standing
among nations as d result" This
is also the view of the Buffalo
Times which. says the incident re
minds one Of the execution by the
English, long ago, of Admiral Byng
because he failed to relieve a threat
ened fortress. History has vindicat-
ed Byng's memory"
THE Turk is the only being to
benefit from the executions" says
the Roanoke World News. In the
contemplation of them Smyrna is
forgotten. Athens, that city which
has given to the world SO much that
is high and noble in the realm of mind
is today a synonym for murder and
red revolution. Greece is Sinking about
among the nations of the world with
foul, blood dripping hands. And it
Will take mankind a long time to
forget" The executions were forced
by public sentiment" in the opinion
of the Danville Register and they
are Yicaries sacrifices to a resent
ment and a vengefulness which had
to be appeased through legal pro-
cesses in order to avert a sanguinary
while, according to
western ideas the accused should
have been tried in a civil court" the
New York Tribune holds that "these
men unquestionabIy did the real
Greece an objectionable wrong. If
their proven acts amounted to trea-
son. the Greek people We're clearly
within their rights in eXacting the
supreme penalty. While the grief
with which many Greeks regard their
nations present situation is easily
imagined" the New York Post be-
lieves that situation Will be only
made worse by such deeds" On the
other hand the Springfield Repubn-
can feels that the methods may be
drastic but perhaps the west is too
easy going in not holding its politicians
to stricter responsibility for their
acts" Inasmuch, however. as pub
lie opinion was behind Constantine
and the minister's" the Brooklyn
Eagle argues that the British Gov
renment does we'll to sever relations
with Greece as a protest against a
OF indicative savag-
cry which is without a parallel in |
modern times