Evening star., 1924-04-26

Since the plebiSCite in Greece has
resulted in the overwhelming adop-
tiop of a republic American editors
arc discussing the wisdom OF the step.
Opinion seoms TO be very doubtful
government. If they are prepared,
well and good. but if they are not, it
is certain the government will shortly
become a dictatorship, many editors
say.
"Of course all the world will hope
for the best results from this latest
Greoian experiment but a majority
of those familiar with conditions in
the country will have their misgiv-
ings and their doubts" according to
the Portland Express, which goes on
10 say "wise and conservative leader
ship may preserve Greece at this time
and change chaos. into order, but il
will be the wisdom of the few and
not of the many that will prove her
salvation If she succeeds Its chances
of success, the New York World
points out will be proportioned to
the spirit in which it is undertaken,
the extent to which its sponsors avoid
actual tyranny under the empty forms
of free government" The political.
economic and social conditions in the
country are not healthy, the Charles
ton Post suggests, yet the people
seem to be In earnest in their new
undertaking. and good leadership may
develop under the new order" II
the people had listened TO the voice
of Venizelos, the Columbus Dispatch
is confident the same result would
have been reach ed, but a little more
slowly and with greater Difference to
regular constitutional methods. The
Dispatch admits the grave question
now is, will the same heads get too
hot to be tontrolled if the new repub-
lie shall fail Immediately to fulfill
their expectations"
1t is not improbable, the Louisville
Courier Journal holds. that 'the re-
public. at the start, will be another
government by Dictatorship; never
theless. "the experiment Will spur on
the evolutionary process toward pop
ular government in Greece" Sug-
gesting that the success at the be-
ginning will depend upon the quality
of leadership, the Fargo Forum main
tains "if that leadership is sincere,
Greece may advance more rapidly
Under a republic than under a dynasty.
but the establishment of republic
and the preparation of a people to
rule themselves requires hard work"
The Boston Transcript calls attention
to the factious nature of the Greek
people and their lack of determine
tion to hang together, and the fur
ther handicap of the country in hav
ing on it's hands great population
of
territory, who are unsuited to demo-
cratic self-rule; hence, "the prospects
of the new republic cannot be re-
garded as very promising" This
Union, which doubts whether such
spirit may be bent to accept the
obligations of democratic self-rule. -
even though "the Greeks have shown
themselves to be an energetic, patri-
otic and a practical nation" 1.-The
ing" continues the Springfield News;
therefore, Greece prepares for a
Transformation in its administrative
affairs, almost wholly devoid of a
level HEADED administrator" and, "the
result probably will be that things
time" The Miami News agrees "the
soil has not properly been prepared
and cannot be until an educational
campaign has been in progress bear
ing upon the questions involved In
greater liberty"
X X X x
The fact that the government has
barred for Ave years formal discus
sions of the change in the form of
administration, the Indianapolis
News says, reveals a suspicion that
as much as the people may believe
now that they want a republic they
could be easily swayed into thinking
they wanted something else" The
Birmingham News however, claims
this "is purely and simply a safe
guard against loose thinking and ir-
responsible utterances by noisy
minority" But the Providence Jour-
nal insists sit is hard to imagine a
free people being denied by any su.
nsesog authority the natural privilege