Evening star., 1936-09-06

with fixed bayonets escorted him
aboard a seedy freighter, which car
ried him to Corsica as a prisoner Of
the French.
At Napoleons birthplace he was
driven to thoughts of suicide by re-
lentless idleness, made all the more
intolerable because meanwhile other
generals were registering their names
in the book of immortality. From his
prison island he followed the battles
on the various fronts-and refought
them in his own imagination so diff
ferently and so successfully that he
convinced himself that he could have
saved the German cause.
The war over, Metaxas returned to
Greece and Immediately began his
epic feud with Venizelos. Although
the antagonists were not always
clearly identified, close observers never
failed to perceive their handiwork.
The controversy started around the
dynasty. The house of Slesvig- -Hol-
stein n-Sonderburg- Glucksburg had suf-
fered great loss of prestige because
of the outcome OF the war. King
Constantine was discredited, and the
army, always vital factor in Greek
politics. was ready to drop him. The
King sought to bolster his reputation
with an energetic pursuit of the cam
paign against the Turks in Asia Minor,
but it turned out disastrously and his
army was practically pushed into the
sea.
Transferred Allegiance.
Metaxas was known to have opposed
the war, but he could not prevent it,
and catastrophe broke upon Greece.
1t was evident to Metaxas that Con-
stantine could no longer hold his
throne. He transferred his allegiance
to the heir, who became King of the
Hellenes, as. George II, upon his
fathers abdtcation. Meanwhile, how
ever, the followers of Venizelos were
preparing the ground for a more
radical step, the establishment of the
republic.
Metaxas saw that the time was ripe
for strong action, and he issued a
call to the army to save the dynasty
and the honor of Greece. He de-
nounced Venizelos as an "old in
triguer," the "bane of the fatherland,"
and he girded his loins for the de-
cisive battle. Encouraging reports
came from all over Greece, and
Metaxas thought that the entire
nation was rallying to the banner of
the Glucksburg dynasty. But when
the final count was taken Metaxas
found that only 5 out of 20 garrison
cities were in his camp.
The government outlawed him and
he fed to Paris. From this distance
he continued to hurl his thunderbolts
at his foes, making himself so dis
agreeable to the party in power that
it was thought best to give him and
his fellow rebels a general amnesty
He returned to Greece, too late to
save the dynasty.
Metaxas now decided to compromise
with his convictions and give battle to
his enemies on their own chosen
grounds-politics. He stood for Par
Lament, was elected and led 60 depu.
ties into the Legislature as the leader
of a monarchist party. He also set to
work behind the scenes, making and
breaking alliances with ike-mindeo
leaders. BY restoring the monarchy
he hoped to eliminate Venizelos from
Greek politics.
Depression Powerful Ally.
Meanwhile King George II had dis
covered that life as an exiled mon
arch and country squire was very
much to his taste, and gave Metaxas
only half-hearted encouragement to
his restoration efforts. But when de-
preston reached the shores of Greece
the indomitable general found a pow
erful ally. He knew that in times OF
stress the temptation was great to
reach for the symbols of more pros
porous days and so he began to popu-
larize the idea of having a plebiscite
decide the republics fate.
Venizelos sought to prevent the
threatened restoration by an armed
coup in March Of last year, and lost
it was now the aged statesman's turn
to go into exile. Metaxas was tri-
umphant. He saw victory within his
grasp. Yet just as he was reaching
for it, one of Metaxas's own allies
Field Marshal George Kondylis, stole
his thunder and brought King George
II back to the throne of Greece. He
who wanted to be his country's first
commoner had to be content with sub.
ordinate cabinet positions, and tht
Metaxas party dwindled to a mere
handful.
Metaxas, nevertheless, remained ir
the wings, still waiting for the cue
which would lead him to q star role
And last April it came. Prime Min
lister Constantin Demerdjiz, in whose
cabinet Metaxas was serving as vice
premier and minister of war, died
early in April. And on April l3 Gen
Metaxas became prime minister Of
Greece.
There was now no one to stop his
advance to supreme power. Metaxas
began to show his real nature in the
Salonika tobacco strike early in May
when IL people were killed and hun.
dreds wounded as q result of thu
orders Metaxas gave to the army and
police. Yet, as late as June 20, he
called the idea of dictatorship absurd
But meanwhile Great Britain suf.
fered a diplomatic defeat at Italy.
hands and Metaxas received q visit
from DR.. Hjalmar Schacht, economi,
dictator of Germany. Democracy
seemed to be in q bad way. Events In
Spain deepened uneasiness through.
out Europe.
Used Strike As Excuse.
A month ago Metaxas issued ar
order providing for compulsory arbi.
tration in labor disputes. The trade
unions did not like it and, as q pro.
test, called q 24-hour strike. AL.
though labor leaders enjoined theil
followers not to provoke repressivt
measures, Metaxas used the strike o.
an excuse to deliver his blow against
democracy. The communistic menace
Of which he talks cannot be said Il
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