Evening star., 1924-04-02
IN TODAY'S SPOTLIGHT
BY PAUL Y. COLLINS


Another king has lost his throne,
land a new republic has risen where
the Oldest republic in the worlds his
tory once stood. King George II of
Greece says he will not accept his
deposition unless a plebiscite of the
lnation votes to confirm it" The
lpleblscite will be taken on April 13,
and, according to Greeks of this city,
There is no doubt as to the outcome of
THAT vote
1t is impossible to think of Greece
but as a heroic tragedy. The glory of
,her antiquity supplies a gorgeous
background, but the desperate and all
but hopeless 500 years of struggle for
Independence as n nation, and finally
flor freedom as Il republic, are set out
lin fearful relief against her ancient
!splendor. 1t is $500 years since the
brilliant republic of Salon, and 103
years since Greece threw off the
bondage of the Turk and again be-
tcame a nation.
Before Columbus had discovered
America, Greece had been subjugated
lby Turkey G453-146O.) Until 1921
she, together with Albania, Bulgaria,
Macedonia, Rumania and what is
now Czechoslovakia and Jugoslavia-
had been put under the tyranny of the
unspeakable Turk. They would re-
ivolt-yes. Bulgarian peasants in 1873
KILLED 1SG Turks and Turkish army
IN revenge massacred 10000 Chris
ltians. There were 100000 Chris
ltahs under MoSlem rule
Nd arfT fTs.l- To L
the Turkish chains. and for six years
lShe fought guerrilla struggle in her
mountain Businesses. against fearful
iodds. Egypt. under Turkish rule.
was impressed into the conflict and
succeeded in taking military posses
sion of all the land. The butcheries of
Christian thousands at last so aroused
Europe that a protest was uttered by
Russia, England and France. and a
Joint fleet was sent to back up their
demand for an arTnistice GS27). The
Egyptian commander, for answer be-
gan an unexpected attack against the
jcombined fleets, and as a result. his
tentire armada was destroy ed--an un-
intended outcome of the allied bluff
IagainSt the Turk for which England
Expressed apology in speech from
the throne deploring "the untoward
leYent"
Those were the days of the holy
alliance, pledged to mutual cooper
alton to protect thrones against
| further spread of the republican ism
| OF America and revolutionary France
| and the upheaval OF dynasties by the
upstart Napoleon Bonaparte. Having
| been drawn into the Greco Turk sh
! fight, the holy alliance continued,
drove Turkey out OF Greece and es-
tabltshed the independent Greek
! kingdom. but the independence was
limited by the dictation OF the de-
| livcrers of Greece whereby the Sc
| lection Of the King o! Greece was
made by the holy alliance. not by
! the Greeks
as king and he reigned from 1888 to
! 1863, when he was denCsed. He was
! succeeded by George J IF Schleswig-
| Holstein -Sondcnburg- -Gluck sburg. who
; FOUNDED FOUNDED what is known as the
was assassinated in 1913 and was
| succeeded by his son Constantine.
| who had been born in Greece
Constantine married sister of
Kaiser Wilhelm Of Germany This
marriage caused distrust by the al
hes in the world war. when Constan-
tine offered to join Greece to the en-
tente. The king won the people to
I, vote to maintain neutrality. Since
: Premier Neniz.Ios had declared war
On the side Of the cHtentc the vote
OF neutrality led to tht. retirement
OF Neni2eloS. He thereupon returned
10 his native island Of Crete and
/ called about him volunteer army.
ihe army grew to $4,000, eager TO
aiIy themselves with the entente.
Constantine was forced by the AL
lies to abdicate and leave, Greece
under the regency of his son Alex
andeI-the king who was fatally.
bitten by pet monkey He was
SUCCEEDED by his brother. George IL.
NeHizelos returned to the nren,ier-
snip under allied support, bringins.
with him the rebel Greek army